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GRAMMAR 



ITALIAN LANGUAGE. 



GRAMMAR 



ITALIAN LANGUAGE. 



JOSEPH RAMPINI, 

Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland; Teacher of the Italian 

Language and Literature in the Naval and Military Academy, the 

Edinburgh Philosophical Institution, the Scottish Institution for 

Young Ladies, the Edinburgh Institution for Languages, &c. 




EDINBURGH: 

OLIVER & BOYD, TWEEDDALE COURT. 

LONDON : SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO. 
1852. 






PRINTED BY OLIVER AND BOYD, 
TWEEDDALE COURT, HIGH STREET, EDINBURGH. 



TO HER GRACE 

CHAELOTTE ANN, 

fineness of tynccltncl) att& fautmbttty, 

&c. &c. 



May it please your Grace, 

Haying already experienced so much kindness and 
consideration whilst engaged in the Instruction of Junior 
Members of the noble Family of Buccleuch in the Italian 
Language, I have to offer additional acknowledgments for 
your Grace's kindness in permitting me to send forth to the 
world, under the distinguished patronage of your name, a 
Grammar of my native tongue written in the English Lan- 
guage. This Work is therefore now presented with the 
sincere and grateful respect 

Of your Grace's 

Faithful and obedient Servant, 

J. RAMPINI. 

Edinburgh, March 1852. 



PEEFACE. 



This Grammar has been written principally for the use of students 
in this country who learn the Italian Language as a branch of educa- 
tion. At the same time, those who wish to extend their knowledge 
will be better able ta do so after having made themselves thoroughly 
acquainted with a short treatise of this kind, than if they had com- 
menced with a more complicated work. The Author's experience 
has convinced him that long courses of Grammar are often under- 
taken, but seldom completed. The beginner is unable to distinguish 
the essential parts from those which are of secondary importance and 
may therefore be taken up with advantage at an after-period. No 
doubt this inconvenience may be obviated to a certain extent by 
typographical distinctions and directions, or by the judgment of the 
teacher ; but it is better to keep what is unnecessary at first out of 
sight. To learn a little well will enable the pupil to learn more 
afterwards : to learn a great deal imperfectly is an impediment to all 
future progress. In the language of Whately, — " It is better to un- 
derstand even a little, that it is possible to accomplish, than to make 
splendid professions, which can only lead to disappointment." — Early 
Lessons on Reasoning. Much useful information may be conveyed, 
and with little effort on the part of the pupil, by the observations of 
an able preceptor. To render this Work a really good Hand-book, to 
be thoroughly learned and continually referred to, all observations 
not absolutely necessary have been omitted. Many Grammars are 
made up of mere verbiage. The Author having observed that pupils 
often employ technical words without understanding them, a more 
simple mode of expression has been used, though with reluctance, 
which may present fewer learned words, but is fitted to impart clearer 
ideas. And here again Whately's words maybe quoted : — " Even in 
the common mechanical arts, something of a technical language is 
foimd needful for those who are learning or exercising them. It would 
be a very great inconvenience, even to a common carpenter, not to 
have a precise, well-understood name for each of the several operations 
he performs, such as chiselling, sawing, planing, &c, and for the 
several tools [or instruments] he works with. And if we had not 
such words as Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, &c, 
employed in an exactly denned sense, and also fixed rules for conduct- 



Vlll PREFACE. 

ing these and other arithmetical processes, it would be a tedious and 
uncertain work, to go through even such simple calculations as a child 
very soon learns to perform with perfect ease. And after all, there 
would be a fresh difficulty in making other persons understand clearly 
the correctness of the calculations made. 

'• You are to observe, however, that technical language and rules, if 
you would make them really useful, 7nust be not only distinctly under- 
stood, but also learnt, and remembered as familiarly as the Alphabet ; 
and employed constantly, and with swupulous exactness. Otherwise, 
technical language will prove an encumbrance instead of an advantage; 
just as a suit of clothes would be, if, instead of putting them on and 
wearing them, you toere to carry them about in your hand." 

The best way to acquire a foreign language is to compare it closely 
with our own. The Author regrets that the brevity and simplicity, 
which he thought of vital importance in a first booh on Grammar, 
prevented his paying sufficient attention to this. The rules them- 
selves are very few ; and the difficulties and character of a language 
arise from its numerous peculiarities and idiomatical expressions, 
which cannot be reduced to general rules, but must each be studied 
by itself. The English and Italian resemble each other in both 
being very idiomatical. In writing an elementary Grammar, the 
chief difficulty lies in being able judiciously to draw a line between 
those idioms and peculiarities that should be taught at first, and such 
as may be safely deferred. 

The General Rules of Grammar have been separated from the 
Practical Rules of the Italian, in the belief that the latter would be 
better learned by themselves. As to the General Principles, the 
Author has perused the principal works on the subject, and has not 
found one, not excepting Becker, superior in fulness, precision, clear- 
ness, and simplicity, to the Principes de Grammaire Generale, by 
A. J. Silvestre de Sacy, the celebrated Oriental scholar ; and he is 
persuaded that a great benefit would be conferred on teachers and 
students were the work translated and adapted to the English lan- 
guage. What is said on this subject has been chiefly taken from it. 
Being unwilling to obtrude his own views, the Author has allowed 
some definitions to remain which appear to him to be erroneous. He 
considers the Adjective to be as important and necessary a word as 
either the Noun or the Verb, and as different from either as they are 
from each other. In the infancy of Language among uncivilized 
tribes, what first attracts notice are objects, the different qualities of 
them, and motion or action : hence arise Nouns, Adjectives, and Verbs. 
" The stone is hard" seems a more natural expression than " the 
stone has hardness," which supposes abstraction, and consequently 



PREFACE. IX 

requires a considerable development of the reasoning faculty. All 
the other words might, for the sake of simplicity, be conveniently 
arranged under the denomination of Particles, not being sufficiently 
important, like the other three, to require a separate classification. 
These are, Articles, Pronouns, Prepositions, Adverbs, and Conjunc- 
tions ; excluding the Interjection, which is a mere expression of 
feeling. Of these words the Conjunction only seems to be absolutely 
necessary in order to connect the other three. The place of the Pre- 
position may be supplied by Cases. The Adverb performs the office 
of an Adjective, and is often an Adjective : it expresses the qualities 
of actions, as the adjective does of objects : e.g. he runs fast. Articles 
are Adjectives; Pronouns either Xouns or Adjectives. 

What is said on Moods and Tenses is necessarily brief. To have 
treated them more fully would have drawn too largely on the time 
and attention of the pupil ; who, though anxious to acquire a know- 
ledge of the Italian Language, may not be prepared to enter upon the 
study of General Grammar. The Author's object in introducing this 
subject at all was, to render the student as much as possible indepen- 
dent of other books, either by imparting new information or refresh- 
ing his memory. With the same view are given in Part II., which 
treats of Pronunciation and the Writing of Italian, a number of Rules 
which by some may be considered as unnecessary. Owing to a veiy 
general deficiency, however, in these important branches of knowledge 
among young students, it was not deemed advisable to exclude any- 
thing that might tend to ensure accuracy. The Eules for Pronun- 
ciation have been minutely given, after a comparison of the English 
with the Italian sounds, and the explanations of Dr Latham, in his 
Elements of English Grammar, have been closely followed. 

Part III., extending to 59 pages, contains the Practical Rules of 
the language. It should be read attentively, and any difficulties that 
occur should be marked, and an explanation requested from the 
teacher. It will be of advantage to commit the more important of 
the Rules to memory ; and the student should constantly refer to this 
Part, both in reading and writing. Such an ever-recurring reference 
will have the effect of familiarizing him with the Rules. But a more 
effective method is to learn through examples. Every rule should be 
preceded by an example, and every example expressed in colloquial 
language. The examples, which would be the student's Phrase Book, 
should not only be learnt thoroughly, but repeated very frequently 
and systematically. A few minutes bestowed regularly at a fixed 
time every day on the repetition of such phrases, would greatly facil- 
itate the acquisition of the language. When he afterwards learns a 
rule, he will readily be able to give the example which refers to it ; 



X PEEFACE. 

also to remember it easily, and apply it. For example : the Italian 
for "give me your hand," is "datemi la mano." The student who 
has systematically repeated this short and easy phrase, with many 
others, will have no greater difficulty in saying to an Italian " datemi 
la mano" than in saying to an Englishman "give me your hand." 
When he takes up his Grammar, he learns that 

1. To give is translated by dare. 

2. The second person plural of the present indicative of the verbs 
in are, has ate for its termination (d-ate-mi). 

3. To me or me is translated by mi. 

4. Mi is affixed to a verb in the imperative. 

5. The definite article for the feminine is la. 

6. Mano (hand) is the only noun ending in o which is feminine. 

7. The possessive pronoun is seldom used in Italian when the clear- 
ness of the sense renders it unnecessary. 

After a pupil is familiar with an example, he cannot have any diffi- 
culty in remembering the rules connected with it. It is important 
that the same example (or examples) should always be given for the 
same rule. When he afterwards translates from Italian into English, 
or, which is much better,* from English into Italian, he should be made 
to prove the correctness of what he speaks or writes. Supposing 
that he has to translate " show me your hand," if he has seen in some 
phrase that to show is mostrare, he would say mostratemi la mano, 
giving as a proof " datemi la mano," and the phrase in which mostrare 
is found. He could make no mistake, as he has only correct proofs to 
give ; he could not say il mano, as he had no example for it. A strict 
adherence to this system from the beginning would soon prove that 
it was not more difficult, while it is far more efficient, than others 
usually pursued. The necessity of proving ensures accuracy — the 
repetition, facility — the constant comparison of what is new with 
what has been previously learnt, a habit of thinking. 

As almost every master has his own peculiar views in teaching, and 
as the present Work is intended to be one of general use, and not to 
suit any particular system, it has been thought unnecessary to increase 
its size by the addition of such phrases ; but the Author contemplates 
their publication in such a form as will admit of their being bound 
along with the Grammar. 

Part IV. containing the Verbs, and Part V. the Exercises, are 
reprinted from the Author's translation of Biagioli's Grammar. 

* The first exercise enables him to understand the language; the second 
to understand and to use it. 



CONTEXTS. 



PAET I. 

Page 
GrENER AL PRINCIPLES OF GrRAMKAB 3 



PARI II. 

Pronunciation and "Writes g- of the Italian Language. 

Sounds 15 

Vowel Sounds 16 

Mute Sounds 16 

Liquid Sounds 17 

Compound Sounds 17 

Diphthongs and Triphthongs 17 

Letters 17 

Observations on the Pronunciation of the Italian 18 

Directions for the Pronunciation of the e and o 19 

Accent 20 

Quantity 21 

Directions for acquiring a good Pronunciation of the Italian 21 

Syllables, and the Eules for arranging them 23 

Apostrophe 21 

Contraction ; 25 

Use of Capital Letters 26 

Punctuation 26 

Tones 26 

Pauses 26 

Emphasis 27 

The Dash 27 



Xli CONTENTS. 

Page 

Euphony 27 

Exercises on Pronunciation — Table of the most remarkable Sounds 

in the Italian Language 28 

List of words that have a different meaning according as their ac- 
cented e or o is pronounced closely or openly 30 

List of Words in which the z has the sound of ds 32 

On the Accent 33 

Exercise in Italian Poetry 34 



PART III. 

Principal Rules of the Italian Language. 

Gender , 45 

Number 46 

Article 48 

Case 50 

Personal Pronouns... , 51 

Pronominal Particles 53 

Adjectives 56 

Comparatives and Superlatives 58 

Augmentatives and Diminutives 61 

Numerals 63 

Pronouns 65 

General Observations on the Italian Pronouns 68 

Possessive Pronouns 72 

Demonstrative Pronouns 74 

Indefinite Pronouns 75 

Prepositions 79 

Adverbs 86 

Moods and Tenses 90 

Regular and Irregular Tenses 94 

Peculiarities in the Use of the Verbs 100 



PAET IV. 

On the Italian Verbs 109 

Regular Verbs Ill 

Irregular Verbs 114 

Defective Verbs 121 

List of Verbs conjugated like JJalre 123 



CONTENTS. X111 

PART Y. 

Exercises. 

Page 

On the Articles 133 

On the Personal Pronouns 136 

On si. &c 138 

On the Adjectives 141 

On the Comparatives and Superlatives 144 

On the Augmentatives and Diminutives 147 

On the Numbers 149 

On the Pronouns 152 

On the Relative Pronouns 155 

On the Possessive Pronouns 158 

On the Demonstrative Pronouns 161 

On the Words tutto and ogni 163 

On the Prepositions 166 

On the Adverbs 169 

On the Conjunctions 171 

On the Use of the Auxiliary Yerbs 174 

On the Irregular Verbs 177 

On the Present Participle 180 

On the Past Participle 183 

On the Moods 186 

The Interjections 189 



PART I. 

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. 



ITALIAN GEAMMAE. 



PAET I. 

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. 

1. Language is the expression of our ideas, and their 
various relations. 

2. An idea expressed by words is called a Proposition. 

3. Every proposition is the enunciation of a judgment ; 
as, "ink is black." 

4. Every proposition has three elements or parts, called 
the Subject, the Predicate, and the Copula. 

5. The Subject is the person or thing which forms the 
subject of our discourse. 

6. The Predicate is the assertion made concerning any 
subject. 

7. The Copula is that part of a proposition which con- 
nects the subject and predicate. 

8. The copula is always the verb to be, which is 
called the Substantive Verb. 

9. If the verb to be stand by itself, the proposition is 
called Affirmative ; if it be accompanied by the word 
not, it is Negative. 

10. The copula and predicate may be expressed by a 
single word. 

1 1 . All verbs, except the verb to be, express both the 

a 



4 GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. 

copula and the predicate ; as, " man lives," which is the 
same as "man is living." 

12. The Predicate is also called the Attribute. All 
verbs that express both the copula and predicate may be 
called Attributive Verbs, to distinguish them from the 
verb to be, which is called the substantive verb. 

13. The subject is either simple or compound. 

14. The simple subject indicates but one thing; as, 
"ink" in the proposition, "ink is black." 

15. The compound subject indicates several things, the 
nature of which is determined by ideas independent of 
each other ; as, " peaches and apricots are good." 

16. The simple subject is either complex or incomplex. 

17. The simple incomplex subject indicates a thing, the 
nature of which is determined by a single idea; as, " ink 
is black." 

18. The simple complex subject indicates a thing, the 
nature of which is determined by several ideas ; as, 
"peaches, which are ripe, are excellent." 

19. The predicate is divided like the subject into simple 
and compound, and the simple predicate into complex and 
incomplex. 

20. Nouns are words which express persons or things in 
a determinate manner by recalling the idea of their nature. 

21. Nouns are either proper, common, or abstract. 

22. Proper nouns designate persons and things in such 
a manner that the designation is only applicable to one 
individual, person, or thing. 

23. Common nouns designate persons and things in 
manner common to all individuals of the same species. 

24. Abstract nouns express a manner of existence 
abstracted as it were from the person or things to which 
it belongs ; as, " virtue, goodness." 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. 5 

25. The number of particular ideas comprehended in 
a common or abstract noun forms the comprehension of 
the noun. 

26. The number of individuals or classes comprehended 
in the signification of a common or abstract noun forms 
the extension of the noun. 

27. The greater the comprehension of a noun the 
smaller is its extension. 

28. Articles are words which serve to determine the 
extension of nouns. 

29. A Pronoun is a word used instead of a noun. 

30. The person that speaks is called the First Person ; 
the person spoken to, the Second Person ; and the person 
spoken of, the Third Person. There are different • pro- 
nouns for each of these persons. 

31. An Adjective is a word added to a noun to ex- 
press a quality of it. 

32. Adjectives may be divided into two classes accord- 
ing as they express either a quality or a circumstance ; 
as, " a good book, every book." 

33. Numerals are properly adjectives which express a 
circumstance. 

34. We are often obliged to join several words to 
express completely the idea of the thing of which we 
speak. Such words are said to be related or connected 
together. 

35. The relation or connexion between words may be 
indicated in three different ways ; 1st, By the position 
of the words ; 2d, By a change in their terminations ; 
3d, By a separate word placed between the words con- 
nected together. This word is called a Preposition. 

36. Sometimes the natural position of words being 
changed, the sense alone enables us to distinguish their 



b GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. 

proper meaning. In Italian such inversions are very 
common. 

37. Adverbs are words which unite the meaning of a 
preposition and a noun. 

38. Adverbs serve to express the circumstances which 
accompany an action ; such as, time, place, manner. 

39. As several words are connected together in a pro- 
position, so various propositions have relations with each 
other that require to be expressed. 

40. Conjunctions are words that connect propositions 
and words together. 

41. Interjections are cries of pain, joy, wonder, &c, 
and which escape us at the moment of sudden excitement. 

42. Words are often used in different ways ; thus, an 
adjective is often used as a noun, or an adverb; a pre- 
position as a conjunction, &c. 

43. There are also words which it is not always easy 
to say to what class they belong ; yes, no, not, are among 
such words. 

44. Two or three words are often joined together so 
as to form but one word. 

45. Words may also belong at the same time to two 
different classes ; who, for example, seems to be partly an 
adjective and partly a conjunction. Such words might 
be called with propriety Conjunctive Adjectives. They 
generally go under the name of Relative pronouns. 

46. Possessive pronouns are adjectives. 

47. Demonstrative pronouns are articles. 

48. What are called Distributive pronouns are adjectives. 

49. The Indefinite pronouns are nouns. 

50. As the introduction of new technical terms is not 
desirable, it is the more important that the true nature of 
words should be understood* v 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. 7 

51. Words are divided into two classes according as 
they undergo a change in their form or termination or 
do not. Nouns, adjectives, pronouns, articles, and verbs 
belong to the first class, namely, that which undergoes 
modification. Conjunctions, prepositions, adverbs, and 
interjections to the second, or that which undergoes no 
modification. 

52. In almost all languages nouns undergo a change 
either in their form or in their termination, by which we 
know whether the nouns are applied to one or more in- 
dividuals. These different forms or terminations are 
called Number. 

53. The distinction of number is observed also with 
the articles, adjectives, pronouns, and verbs. 

54. All bodies in nature are divided into three classes ; 
the first embraces all those bodies in which there is no 
distinction of sex, as in minerals, or in which the distinc- 
tion of sex is unnoticed, as in the Vegetable Kingdom ; 
such bodies are called Neuter. All other bodies are divided 
according to their sex into Masculine or Feminine. 

55. In some languages, as in English, the division of 
nouns into masculine, feminine, and neuter is correct ; in 
others, as in Italian, it is a mere conventional division 
founded upon the termination of the noun. Thus, Donna, 
woman, when it takes the termination one, becomes 
masculine. 

56. Augmentatives and diminutives are terminations 
added to nouns, and sometimes to adjectives and verbs, 
to express an idea of sm alines s or large size, beauty or 
ugliness, affection, esteem, contempt, &c. 

57. A noun may be connected or related to a noun, 
a verb, or an adjective, as stated before. The relation 
may be determined by the position of the word, a preposi- 



8 GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. 

tion or a change of termination, as in Latin. This change 
is called a Case. 

58. To decline a noun, an adjective, or a pronoun, is 
to repeat all the different changes of termination of 
which it is capable. 

59. Adjectives express quality — the different degrees 
of these qualities being known only by comparison, we 
call in grammar degrees of comparison, the various ways 
by which these differences are marked. 

60. There are commonly reckoned three degrees of 
comparison: the Positive, the Comparative, and the 
Superlative. 

61. The positive state expresses the quality of an object 
without any increase or diminution.; as, "good, wise, great." 

62. The comparative degree increases or lessens the 
positive in signification; as, "wiser, greater, less wise.' 7 

63. The superlative degree increases or lessens the 
positive to the highest or lowest degree; as, "wisest, 
greatest, least wise." 

64. There is another superlative, which may be called 
the superlative of eminence ; as, u very eloquent," to dis- 
tinguish it from the other superlative. 

65. The degrees of comparison may be determined : 
1st, By adverbs, as more, less ; 2d, By terminations, 
as stronger ; 3d, As, in Italian, by the use of an article 
before the adverb; thus, piu forte, stronger; il piu forte, 
the strong^. 

66. Tenses are forms which a verb takes to indicate 
the circumstances of time. 

67. Tenses are indefinite when they express the exis- 
tence of a subject and its relation with a predicate, 
without indicating any time; and definite when they 
determine a period past, present, or future. 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. \) 

68. Tenses are also absolute when they indicate a re- 
lation with the time in which we speak, and relative 
when besides this relation they express another relation 
with an event either past or future. 

69. Past and future tenses are proximate when they 
indicate a time near the moment in which we speak, and 
remote when they indicate a distant time. 

70. Relative tenses are either anterior, simultaneous, or 
posterior, according as they indicate a time past, present, 
or future, in reference to an event past or future. 

71. It is very important that these different distinc- 
tions should be well understood by the student, as it is 
very difficult without a clear notion of them to state the 
different rules of a particular language in regard to them. 

72. Sometimes a definite tense is used to express an 
indefinite time. "Do you like bread ?" does not mean 
do you like bread just now; but " do you like bread at 
all times, in general ? ,; The sense alone here marks the 
distinction. 

73. Tenses are therefore ; 1st, Either definite or in- 
definite; 2d, Absolute or relative; 3d, Past, present, or 
future; 4th, Proximate or remote; 5th, Anterior, simul- 
taneous, or posterior, 

74. Propositions may be divided into three classes 
according as they express doubts, judgments, or desires, 

75. Verbs often take different forms, by which we 
know the nature of the propositions. These forms are 
called Moods. 

76. The principal moods in every language are, the 
Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive, 

77. Different moods often adopt the same form ; thus, 
the Subjunctive in English signifies doubt, condition, 
motive, ivish, apprehension, and supposition. 



10 GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. 

78. All verbs, except the substantive verb, express 
either an action or a quality. 

79. Verbs are of three kinds : Active, Passive, and Neuter. 

80. When the action expressed by the verb is done 
by the subject, the verb is said to be active. 

81. When the action expressed by the verb is suffered 
by the subject ; as, " I am loved," the verb is said to 
be passive. 

82. The neuter verbs express a quality, or a state of 
being ; as, "I stay, I sit." 

83. The Voice of the verb is that particular form which 
the verb takes sometimes to indicate whether the verb is 
active, passive, or neuter.* 

84. The passive verbs are not necessary. They serve, 
however, 1st, To avoid the expression of the subject 
when it is not known, or we prefer not to mention it ; 
2d, Even when the subject is used, it lays the stress and 
fixes the attention upon the object; 3d, It introduces 
variety in the discourse. 

85. The union of all the forms which a verb can take 
to indicate the voices, tenses, moods, numbers, and 
persons, is called Conjugation ; and to repeat all these 
forms is to conjugate a verb. 

86. Verbs are divided into transitive and intransitive. 

87. Transitive verbs are those which are or may be 
joined to an accusative ; as, " I read a book." 

88. Intransitive verbs are those which are never joined 
to an accusative.-|- 

* Though neuter verbs have no distinctive voice, they might 
have it. 

+ The beginner will avoid every difficulty in distinguishing tran- 
sitive from intransitive verbs, by considering whether the two 
accusatives, "some person" or "some thing," may be joined to a verb. 
If they do, the verb is transitive; if they do not, it is intransitive. 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GRAMMAR. 11 

89. Reflective verbs express an action done by the 
subject upon itself; as, "You deceive yourself." 

90. Impersonal verbs are those which are only used 
in the third person. 

91. Defective verbs are used only in certain tenses 
and persons. 

92. Verbs are regular when they follow a general 
standard — irregular when they deviate from it. 



PABT II. 

PRONUNCIATION AND WRITING OF THE 
ITALIAN LANGUAGE. 



PAET II 

PRONUNCIATION AND WRITING OF THE 
ITALIAN LANGUAGE. 

SOUNDS. 

1. The elementary Sounds of the Italian language 
are twenty- seven ; of these twenty-one are single, and 
six compound. 

2. The simple elementary sounds are as follows :— 

1. The sound of the letter a in padre, father. 

2. e in mele, apples. 

3. e in mele* honey. 

4. i in cibo, food. 

5. o in voto, vow 

6. o in voto, empty. 

7. u in prudenza, prudence. 
These seven sounds are vowel sounds. (In English the 

vowel sounds are twelve.) 

8. The sound of the letter p in pane, bread. 

9. b in bocca, mouth. 

10. fin fame, hunger. 

11. v in vino, wine. 

12. t in terra, earth. 

13. d in duro, hard. 

* The circumflex accent is not used in Italian. It is adopted oc- 
casionally in this Grammar to mark the open sound of the e and o, 
to assist the pupil. 



16 SOUNDS. 

14. The sound of the letter c in cuore, heart. 

15. g in gomito, elbow. 

16. s in sonriOy sleep. 

17. s in rosa, rose. 
These ten sounds are called mute sounds. 

18. The sound of the letter I in lingua. 

19. m in muro> wall. 

20. n in naso, nose. 

21. r in rete, net. 
These four sounds are called liquid sounds. 

22. The sound of the letters see, sci, in scena y scene ; sciu- 

gatojo 9 towel. 

23. gli in giglio, lily. 

24. gn in cigna, strap. 

25. c in cena, supper ; cema, summit. 

26. g in gemma, gem ; ginocchio, knee. 

27. # in zucchero, sugar. 

These last six sounds are called compound sounds. The 
first three can only be represented by joining two conso- 
nants. The c seems to combine the sound of t, and g of d 
with another sound which could not be expressed by itself. 
The sound of z in zucchero is a combination of t and s ; 
and in mezzo , of d and s. 

3. Sounds of the Italian language as they are found 
in English words. 

VOWEL SOUNDS. 

1. a as in father. 5. o close, as in no. 

2. e close, as in paint. 6. o open, as in not . 

3. e open, as in met. 7. u as in prudence. 

4. i as in fee. 

MUTE SOUNDS. 

1. p as in pain. 6. d as in dart. 

2. b as in lone. 7. c as in cant. 

3. /as mfee. 8. # as in go. 

4. -u as in voice. 9. * as the first in season. 

5. £ as in tone. 10. * as the second in season. 



LETTERS. 17 

LIQUID SOUNDS. 

1. I in lent. 3. n in nose. 

2. mm. mouth. 4. r in rent. 

COMPOUND SOUNDS. 

1. see as sh in shame. 6. ci as cA in cheese. 

2. sci as $7& in she. 7. #e as g in #em. 

3. #/i as // in brilliant. 8. gi as </ in ^tn. 

4. #7i as first w in onion. 9. # as tz in Switzerland. 

5. ce as eft in ckm, 10. # as flte in TFmdsor. 

DIPHTHONGS AND TRIPHTHONGS. 

4. A Diphthong is a compound sound formed by 
uniting two vowels together ; such as piano (floor). 

5. There are also Triphthongs, or three vowels pro- 
nounced by a single impulse of the voice ; as miei (my). 

LETTERS. 

6. Sounds are capable of being expressed in writing 
by signs. These signs are seen by the eye, whilst sounds 
are heard by the ear. 

7. Figures, like &, c, /, &c, which represent sounds, 
are called letters. 

8. The figures of the letters are as follows : — 
Five vowels — cr, e, i, o, u. 

Nine mutes — p, b, /, v, t, d, c, g> s. 

One silent h. 

Four liquid — I, m, n, r. 

Two compound, or letters having a double sound — j and z* 

The letter q is called by some Italian grammarians half 
a letter {rnezza lettera), as it can only be pronounced with 
the letter u. Its sound is the same as in English ; as, 
qualitd, quality ; questione, question ; requisite, requisite ; 
quoziente, quotient. 

* The c and g being pronounced either as mutes or compound 
consonants, have been placed among the mutes only. J is the same 
as ii ; thus we may write tempj or tempii, temples. At the begin- 
ning of a word and when between vowels it is the same as i. 



18 PRONUNCIATION. 

9. The number of the letters is twenty-two, 

10. The order of the letters is as follows : — 

a, b, c, d, e,f, g, h, i,j, l 9 m, n, o, p 9 q, r 9 s, t, u, v, z. 

11. The order of the letters is called the Alphabet, 
because in the Greek language the names of the two first 
letters were alpha and beta respectively ; that is, alpha 
was the name of the letter which we call a, and beta of b. 

12. The names of the letters are as follow : — 

a, bi, ci, di, e, effe, gi, acca, i, i lungo, elle, emme, enne, 
o, pi, cu, erre, esse, ti, u, vi, tseta or dseta* 

OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE ITALIAN. 

13. The spelling of the Italian follows exactly the 
pronunciation, with very few exceptions. It does not 
do so in the majority of English words. 

14. Every letter is pronounced except A, which is used 
as a sign in writing in the three following cases. 

15. (I.) The h is used in Ho, I have; Hat, Thou 
hast ; Ha, He has ; Hanno, They have ; to distinguish 
(in writing only) these words from o, or ; ai, to thee ; 
a, to ; anno, year. 

16. (II.) It is used after c and g when e or i follow, 
to give to these letters a hard sound, which otherwise 
would be soft. (See section 18.) 

17. (III.) The h is used after the vowels in interjections, 
as ah ! eh I ih I oh ! uh ! to prolong and sustain the sound 
of the vowel. 

18. The consonants c (ch) and g are always pronounced 
hard, except when followed by e or u Remember cect, 
chick-pease ; gengive, the gums. 

* The z is not only a compound, but also a double letter like e 
and o ; that is, it represents two different sounds ; it has therefore 
two different names. The same might be said of e and o. 



PRONUNCIATION. 1 9 

19. The syllables see and sci are pronounced as sh in 
shame and she. Rem. scelta, choice ; scienza, science. 

20. The syllable gli is pronounced as the 11 in brilliant, 
except in negligente, negligent, and Anglia, a poetical word 
for Inghilterra, England. 

21. The two letters gn are pronounced somewhat like 
the first n in the word onion (cipolla). 

22. The consonant 5 between two vowels is pronounced 
as the second s in season (stagione), and like the first s 
in all other cases.* 

23. When a word beginning with an s, followed by a 
vowel, is joined to a word ending with a vowel, the sound 
of the s is not changed. 

24. The consonant z is generally pronounced like ts. 

25. The two vowels e and o are sometimes pronounced 
open and sometimes close. In the greater number of 
cases, no certain rule can be given to determine the pro- 
nunciation of these letters. The Italians themselves do 
not always agree on this point. The following directions 
should, however, be attended to. 

DIRECTIONS FOR THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE e AND 0. 

26. (I.) The difference between the two vowels is only 
marked distinctly on the accented vowels. 

27. (II.) An accented o at the end of a word is always 
open. 

28. (III.) o preceded by u is always open. 

29. (IV.) The Pupil should notice the pronunciation 

* The 5 is pronounced like the second s in season before b 9 d, r, v ; 
as, sbiadato, faded ; sdentato, toothless ; sregolato, unruly ; svista, 
oversight. In cosa, thing, and cost, thus, the s is like the first s in 
season. 



20 ACCENT. 

of the common termination of words ; thus, if ore in dolore 
(pain) is close, it will be close also in furore (fury), sa- 
por e (taste). 

30. (V.) As the close sound is perhaps more common 
than the open, it will be safer for the Pupil to use it in 
preference in all doubtful words. 

ACCENT. 

31. In pronouncing a word formed of many syllables, 
the voice is heard more distinctly upon one than on the 
other. This raising of the voice is called an Accent The 
mark ( * ) that indicates it is called accent also. It is 
only used, however, when the accented vowel is the last 
letter of a w r ord. 

32. The accent is generally placed on the last syllable 
but one. It is also found — 

1. On the last syllable. 

2. On the last syllable but two. 

3. On the last syllable but three. 

33. Words having the accent on the last syllable but 
one are called parole piane, smooth or regular ; words 
having their accent on the last syllable are called tronche, 
broken, or having the final syllable cut off ; and, lastly, 
words having the accent either on the last syllable but 
two, or on the last syllable but three, are called sdruc- 

. dole (sliding), and lisdrucciole* 

* The Italians, being accustomed to end all their words with an 
unaccented vowel, consider all those having at the end an accented 
vowel as having their last vowel cut off. Poetical lines ending 
with such a word have always a syllable less than the others. 



21 



QUANTITY. 

34. Quantity is the measure of time in pronouncing 
a syllable. A syllable is considered as long or short. 

35. In Italian, accented vowels are long, and all others 
short. 

36. A long syllable generally requires double the time 
of a short one in pronouncing. 

DIRECTIONS FOR ACQUIRING A GOOD PRONUNCIATION OF 
THE ITALIAN. 

37. The difficulty in an Englishman's acquiring a good 
Italian pronunciation does not consist in his learning new 
sounds, for all Italian sounds are found in the English 
language, except perhaps the sounds gli in egli, and gn 
in signore, but in his having to pronounce the Italian 
sounds in a different manner from what he is accustomed 
to do in his own language. 

38. The final letter of a syllable is naturally pronounced 
more strongly than the others. In Italian it is generally 
a vowel;* in English a consonant The English will there- 
fore find it difficult to mark well the sound of the vowel, 
not being accustomed to do so. 

39. As noticed above (32), the Italians place their 
accent generally on the last syllable but one ; the English 
generally on the last syllable, and principally on account 
of their numerous monosyllables. The latter will there- 
fore naturally, unless they pay great attention, or have 
heard or spoken Italian for a considerable time, place the 
accent on the last syllable. 

* The words that end with a consonant are °. in, in ; con, with ; 
per, for ; il, the ; sur, upon ; un, a. All others end with a vowel. 

B 



22 SYLLABLES. 

40. The Italians have only one sound for the letter a r 
as in father (padre). The English have four : 1. The 
long, as in pale (pallido) ; 2. The short,, as in fat (grasso) ; 
3. The middle, as in arm (braccio) ; 4. The broad, as in 
all (tutto). It is not difficult to avoid the first or long, 
and the fourth or broad sound ; but the second or short 
sound, as in^, is very frequently given to the Italian a 
in all syllables in which such a sound would be heard in 
English, as fat-to (fact), mat-to (mad), cat-two (bad), &c. 

41. The Italian language has only seven vowel sounds, 
the English twelve; the transition from the a to the u is 
less marked therefore in the latter. The student should 
be very careful to pronounce well the e and the i r so as 
not to confound the two sounds. 

42. When two or more words are read together, which 
is very frequently the case, the pronunciation is exactly 
the same as when reading one word, and the accent is 
then heard only on the last. Conjunctions and preposi- 
tions are generally read with the words that follow ; 
articles and adjectives with their nouns, adverbs with 
their verbs, &c. 

43. All vowels may be said to have three sounds, ac- 
cording to the manner in which they are pronounced : 

1. The principal or common sound, as a in amico (friend) ; 

2. A prolonged sound when h follows the vowels, as in the 
interjections ah! eh ! oh! 3. A forcible sound, as in dalla 
(from the), bella (beautiful), stella, (star). This sound is 
heard when the vowel is followed by a double consonant, 
and when a monosyllable ending with a vowel or a word 
ending with an accent is followed by a consonant, and the 
two words are pronounced together, as Bite questo a me f 
(Do you say this to me ?) pronounce a me as amine. 

44. It may be noticed also, that e and o have three 



SYLLABLES. 23 

different sounds of their own, being pronounced either 
close or open (see section 25) when accented, and having 
a middle sound when not. 



SYLLABLES, AND THE RULES FOR ARRANGING THEM. 

45. The elementary sounds, in their smallest com- 
bination, produce a syllable ; syllables properly combined 
produce a word, 

46. A syllable is a sound, either simple or compounded, 
pronounced by a single impulse of the voice, and con- 
stituting a word or part of a word, as a (to), a-mi-co 
(friend). 

47. Spelling is the art of rightly dividing words into 
their syllables, or of expressing a word by its proper let- 
ters. The following are the general rules for the division 
of words into syllables. 

48. (I.) A single consonant between two vowels must 
be joined to the latter syllable, &&fio~re (flower). 

49. (II.) Two or three consonants proper to begin a 
word must not be separated, as co-sta-re (to cost), di- 
strug-gere (to destroy). 

50. (III.) When two or more consonants which are 
not proper to begin a word meet between two vowels, 
such of them as can begin a word belong to the latter, 
the rest to the former syllable, as com-ple-to (complete), 
tut-to (all). 

51. (IV.) Two vowels not being a diphthong must be 
divided into separate syllables, as Di-o (God). 

52. "We may mention here, that a line should never 
end with a word contracted, a3 gran for grande (great), 
or having an apostrophe, as delV (of the). 



24 



APOSTROPHE. 



53. The Apostrophe shows that a vowel is cut off 
either at the end or at the beginning of a word. 

54. The two vowels i and u seldom suffer elision before 
a word beginning with a vowel. 

55. When the apostrophe is found at the end of a 
word, before a consonant at the beginning of the next 
word, it always stands for the vowel t, 

56. Words which terminate in ce, ci, ge, and gi, suffer 
elision only before the vowels e and /, to preserve the soft 
sound of these syllables. 

57. Gli is elided only when followed by z, otherwise 
it would lose its natural sound, and be pronounced hard. 

58. If il be preceded by a vowel, we may drop the i, 
as tutto 'I mondo for tutto il mondo (all the world). 

59. No accented vowels suffer elision, because the ac- 
cent supposes the elision already made. 

60. Elisions, though frequent in poetry, should rather 
be avoided in prose. They represent a rapid manner of 
pronunciation, by which words are joined together, and 
they should be used only where the connexion between 
words is close, as that of the article lo with its noun 
in V amove (the love), &c. 

61. Obscurity should always be avoided if possible. 
The elision consequently does not take place in the plural 
articles, to distinguish them from the singular. We write 
and pronounce Vanima (the soul) in the singular, and le 
anime (the souls) in the plural. 



25 



CONTRACTION. 



62. By Contraction is meant the suppression of a vowel 
or syllable at the end of a word, followed by another be- 
ginning with a consonant. 

63. All words ending in e or o, after Z, m, n, r, may 
drop the final vowel before a word beginning with a single 
consonant. Thus vuol for vuole, he wishes ; siam for siamo, 
we are ; — the adjectives chiaro (clear), raro (rare), nero 
(black), oscuro (obscure), and a few others, being excepted. 

64. When two words come together, the latter begin- 
ning with s followed by a consonant, the contraction 
very rarely takes place. Thus we must write, uomo stii- 
pido, sono stupefatto, and not uom stupido, &c. 

65. The adverb or a and its compounds are the only 
words ending in a that admit of contraction. 

66. The final syllable of the adjectives santo, grande, 
quello, hello, &c, may be dropped, unless the succeeding 
word begin with s and another consonant. In the plural 
we may drop the 11, and write either lei or be\ quei or 
que\ as the harmony of the sentence may require. Be- 
fore words beginning with a vowel, or s and another con- 
sonant, we should write quegli, legli. These rules do 
not apply if the adjective be placed after the noun it 
qualifies. 

67. The following are a few of the words which un- 
dergo the greatest alteration : vo' for voglio, I wish ; me 1 
for mezzo, middle, or for meglio, better ; e' for egli, he ; ma 1 
for mali, bad ; qua! for quali, which ; re' for rege, king ; 
te' for tieni, take hold ; amaro, amar, for amdrano, &c. 



26 



USE OF CAPITAL LETTERS. 

68. It is proper to begin with a capital — 

1. The first word of every book, chapter, letter, note, 
or any other piece of writing. 

2. The first word after a period ; and if the two sen- 
tences are totally independent, after a note of interrogation 
or exclamation. 

3. The appellations of the Deity. 

4. Proper names. 

5. Adjectives derived from proper nouns if used as 
nouns ; as, the French, / Francesi. 

6. Other words may begin with capitals when they 
are remarkably emphatical. 

PUNCTUATION. 

69. Punctuation is the art of dividing a written compo- 
sition into sentences, or parts of sentences, by points or 
stops, for the purpose of marking the different pauses 
which the sense and an accurate pronunciation require. 

70. The comma represents the shortest pause ; the semi- 
colon, a pause double that of the comma ; the colon, 
double that of the semicolon : and the period, double that 
of the colon. 

TONES. 

71. Tones differ both from emphasis and pauses; con- 
sisting in the modulation of the voice, the notes or 
variations of sound which we employ in the expression of 
our sentiments. 

PAUSES. 

72. Pauses or rests, in speaking and reading, are a 
total cessation of the voice during a perceptible, and, in 
many cases, a measurable space of time. 



27 



EMPHASIS. 



73. By emphasis is meant a strong and full sound, by 
which we distinguish a word or words on which we wish 
to lay particular stress, and to show how they affect the 
rest of the sentence. Sometimes these words must be 
distinguished by a particular tone of voice as well as by 
an emphatic enunciation. 

THE DASH. 

74. Where a significant pause is required, a dash is 
used in Italian as in English; but where a sentence 
breaks off abruptly, the Italians use points of suspension ; 
thus, .... 

EUPHONY. 

75. For the sake of producing a combination of letters 
agreeable to the ear, the two following rules should be 
observed : — 

1. Where a word ending with a consonant is succeeded by 
another beginning with an s followed by a consonant,* an i 
is prefixed to it ; as, Siamo in Iscozia (We are in Scotland). 
Scozia, for the sake of euphony, is here changed into 
Iscozia.f 

2. D is added to the preposition a, and to the conjunc- 
tions e and o followed by a vowel, whenever it facilitates 
the pronunciation. 

* Words beginning with s followed by a consonant sometimes 
take the i also at the beginning of a sentence ; thus, L' Iscozia e un 
bel paese (Scotland is a beautiful country). 

t The s followed by a consonant at the beginning of words is 
called s impura. 



2S 



EXEECISES ON PBONUNCIATIO& 



EXERCISE I. 



TABLE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE SOUNDS IN THE ITALIAN 
LANGUAGE. 



Italian Sounds. 

ca, 

co close, 

co open, 

cu, 

ce close, 

ce open, 

ci, 

che close, 

che open, 

chi, 

cia, 

tie close, 

tie open, 

tio close, 

cio open, 

tiu, 

see close, 

see open, 

sd, 

scia, 

scio close, 

scio open, 



schia, 



schie close, 
£c/iie open, 
schio close, 
§c^io open* 



Value in English, 

cart, 

colon, 

cot, 

cuckoo, 

Chichester, 

chest, 

Chichester, 

cape, 

kettle, 

chimerical^ 

charm, 

chain, 

check, 

chose, 

chocolate^ 

choose, 

shame, 

share, 

she, 

shard, 

shown, 

short, 

shoe, 

ske-ah, 

ske-a (a in paint) , 

ske-e (e in met), 

ske-o (o in no), 

ske-o ( o in not) % 



Examples. 
casa, a house. 
coda, a tail. 

eoma,the hair (in poetry). 
cura, care. 
cena, supper. 
Cesare, Csesar. 
cibo, food. 
cherubino, cherub. 
cheppia, shad. 
chimera, chimera. 
ciabattino, cohhler. 
ciecamente, blindly. 
cielo, heaven. 
cioccolata, chocolate. 
tiottolo, flint. 
ciurma, boat's crew* 
scemo, silly. 
scempio, simple. 
scimunito, stupid. 
sciagura, misfortune. 
scioglieva, I loosed. 
sciolto, loosed. 
sciupare, to waste. 
schiavo, slave. 
schierato, arranged for 
schiera, troop. [battle. 
schiomare,to pluck out the 
schioppo, gun. [hairs* 



EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 



29 



Italian Sounds. Value in English. 


Examples. 


schiu, 


ske-u (w in. prudence), schiuma, foam. 


fh 


garden, 


gar a, strife. 


ge close, 


regent, 


generoso, generous. 


ge open, 


jest, 


genere, kind. 


9h 


g^, 


giro, turn. 


ghe close, 


game, 


ghermire, to seize. 


ghe open, 


get, 


gheppio, kestrel. 


ghi, 


gild, 


ghiaccio, ice. 


gia, 


jaunt, 


giarda, mockery. 


gio close, 


joke, 


giova, it is useful. 


gio open, 


joy, 


giostra, tilting-match. 


giu, 


jurist, 


giudice, judge. 


gli, 


million, 


egli 3 he. 


gle open, 


neglect, 


negletto, neglected. 


yna, 


onion, 


gnao, mewing of a cat. 


gne close, 


do. 


regnerd, he will reign. 


gne open, 


do. 


vegnente, coming (inpoetry) 


gni, 


do. 


regni, kingdoms. 


gno close, 


do. 


gnomone, gnomon. 


#7*0 open, 


do. 


gnocco, an Italian dish. 


go close, 


g°, 


gola, throat. 


^0 open, 


got, 


gora, channel. 


£w, 


good, 


gufo, owl. 


ie, 


yell, 


jeri, yesterday. 



In the following words the u should be pronounced dis- 
tinctly, and not left out as in English : — 



Guardia, guard. 
Guerra (open), war. 
Guiderdone, reward (in poetry). 
Guar dare, to look. 



Guerire, to cure. 
Guercio, squinting. 
Guastare, to spoil. 
Guida, guide. 



30 



EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 



EXERCISE IT. 



LIST OF WORDS THAT HAVE A DIFFERENT MEANING AC- 
CORDING AS THEIR ACCENTED e OR IS PRONOUNCED 



closely or openly. 

E close. 
Accetta, axe. 
Affetto, I slice. 
Bei, thou drinkest. 
Cera, wax. 
Colletto, hillock. 
Corresse, that he might run. 
Creta, chalk. 
Dessi, themselves. 
Desti, thou gavest. 
Detti, dette, said. 
E, and. 

Esca, tinder, bait. 
Fello, he did it. 
Fero, they did. (poet.) 
Feste, you did. (poet.) 
Lega, he binds. 
Legge, law. 
Lessi, lesse, boiled. 
Letto, bed. 
Mele, apples. 
Messe, masses. 
Mezzo, too ripe, rotten. 
Pera, pear. 
Pesca, fishing. 
Pesco, I fish. 
Peste, pounded. 
Sete, thirst. 
Tema,/ear. 
Temi, thou fear est. 



E open. 
Accetta, agreeable, he accepts. 
Affetto, affection, I affect. 
Bei, belli, beautiful. 
Cera or ciera, aspect. 
Colletto, collected. 
Corresse, he corrected. 
Creta, Creta. 
Dessi, he owes to himself. 
Desti, thou awakest. 
Detti, dette, I, he gave. 
E, he is. 

Esca, let him go out, &c. 
Fello, felon. 
Fero, fierce. 
Feste, feasts. 
Lega, a league. 
Legge, he reads. 
Lessi, lesse, I, he read. 
Letto_, read. 
Mele or miele, honey. 
Messe, harvest, reaping. 
Mezzo, middle. 
Pera, let him perish, &c. 
Pesca, peach. 
Pesco, peach tree. 
Peste, plague. 
Sete, you are. (poet.) 
Tema, theme. 
Temi, themes. 



EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 



31 



Veggi^that I may see. (poet.) Veggia, cask. 

Veglio, veglia, / watch, he Veglio, veglia, old. 

watches. 

Vena, vene, vein, veins. Vena, vene, oats. 

Venti, twenty. Venti, winds. 



(poet.) 



close. 
Accorre, he runs to. 
Accorsi, accorse, I, he ran to. 
Apporti, to guess or impute to 

thee. 
Botte, tub. 
Cola, he strains. 
Colto, cultivated. 
Corre, he runs. 
Corso, run, or a course. 
Corsi, / run. 

Corti, courts. 

Costa, it costs. 

Fora, it pierces. 

Foro, hole. 

Fosse, that he might be. 

Indotto, induced. 

Loto, mud. 

Noce, nut. 

Ora, hour or now. 

Orno, / adorn. 

Porci, to place us. 

Porsi, to place oneself. 

Pose, he put. 

Posi, I put. 

Posta, placed. 

Ricorre, he has recourse to. 

Riposi, / replaced. 

Rocca, distaff. 

Rodi, thou gnawest, 

Rosa, gnawed. 



open. 
Accorre, to receive. 
Accorsi, accorse, 7", heperceived. 
Apporti, thou bringest. 

Botte, blows. 

C6\a } thathemayhonour (poet.) 
Colto, gathered. 
Corre, to gather. 
Corso, Corsican. 
Corsi, infin., to gather for one- 
self Corsicans. 
Corti, to gather for thyself 
Costa, coast. 

Fora, it would be. (poet.) 
Foro, bar, forum. 
Fosse, ditches. 
Indotto, ignorant. 
Loto, a plant, Lotus. 
Noce or nuoce, it hurts. 
Ora, zephyr, he prays, (poet.) 
Orno, the ash. 
Porci, pigs. 
Porsi, / handed. 
Pose, pauses. 
Posi, that he may rest. 
Posta, post, station. 
Ricorre, to gather. 
Riposi, that he may rest. 
Rocca, fortress. 
Rodi, Rhodes. 
Rosa, rose. 



32 



EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 



Rozza, rude. 
Scola, it drains. 
Scopo, I sweep. 
Scorsi, I overrun. 
Scorta, he abridges. 
Scorti, thou abridgest. 
Scorto, I abridge. 
Sole, sun, alone. 
Sollo, mellow. 
Solo, sola, alone. 
Sono, I am. 
Sonne., I am of it. 
Sorte, raised, risen. 
Stolto, foolish. 
Tocco, touch, I touch. 
Tomo, / tumble. 
Torre, tower. 
Torsi, stumps or trunks. 

Torta, tart. 
Torvi, fierce. 
Tosco, Tuscan. 
Volgo, mob. 
Volto, face. 
Voto, vow. 



Rozza, old horse. 

Scola or scuola, school. 

Scopo, aim. 

Scorsi, I perceived. 

Scorta, guide } perceived } he escorts. 

Scorti, perceived, thou escortest. 

Scorto, perceived, I escort. 

Sole for suole, he uses, (poet.) 

Sollo, I know it. 

Solo, sola, or suolo, suola, soil, 

Sono or suono, sound. [sole. 

Sonne, / know of it. 

Sorte, lot. 

Stolto or distolto, diverted. 

To ceo, morsel. 

To mo, volume. 

Torre, to take. 

Torsi, / twisted, or to take from 

oneself. 
Torta, twisted. 
Torvi, to take from you. 
Tosco, poison. 
Volgo, / turn. 
Volto, turned. 
Voto, empty. 



EXERCISE III. 



A LIST OF WORDS IN WHICH THE Z HAS THE SOUND OF 



Zafferano, saffron. 
Zaffiro, sapphire. 
Zaino, a wallet. 
Zanzara, a gnat. 
Zeffiro, zephyr. 
Zelo, zeal. 
Zenzero, ginger. 
Zerbino, a dandy. 



Zero, a cipher, nought. 
Zibibbo, raisins. 
Magazzino, a warehouse. 
Mezzo, half. 
Azzurro, blue. 
Gazzetta, a newspaper. 
Bizzarro, whimsical. 
Dozzina, dozen. 



EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 



33 



Orizonte, horizon. 


Caratterizzare, characterize. 


Gazza, a magpie. 


Dirozzare, to smooth. 


Rozzo, rough. 




Dimezzare, 1 


:o halve. 


Battezzare, baptize. 


Ldzzaro, Lazarus. 




EXERCISE IV. 






ON THE ACCENT. 




Parole Trouche. 


Parole Piane. 


Parole Sdrucciole 


Parole Bisdruc- 


Capitb, 


Capito, 


Capito, 


Cdpitano, 


He arrived by- 


Understood. 


I arrive by 


They arrive by 


chance. 




chance. 


chance. 


Perdonb, 


Perdbn o, 


Perdono, 


Ditegliclo, 


He pardoned. 


I pardon. 


They lose. 


Tell it to him. 


Predicb, 


Predico, 


Predico, 


Predicano, 


He preached. 


I foretell. 


I preach. 


They preach. 


Schiavitu, 


Capitdno, 


Bisbetico, 


Manddtegliene, 


Slavery. 


Captain, 


Whimsical. 


Send him some. 


Esercitb, 


Esercitdre, 


Eserciio, 


Battetevela, 


He exercised. 


To exercise. 


Army. 


Save yourself. 


Sinceritd, 


Tenere, 


Tenere, 


Ordinano, 


Sincerity. 


To hold. 


Tender, f. pi. 


They order. 


Imperocche, 


Ancbra, 


Ancora, 


Godidmocela, 


Because. 


Again. 


Anchor. 


Let us enjoy 
ourselves. 


Consenti, 


Consenti, 


Consentono, 


Intbrbidano, 


He consented. 


Consent. 


They consent, 


, They trouble. 


Magnanimitd, 


Incrudelire, 


Fulmine, 


Fuggitevene, 


Magnanimity. 


To become 
cruel. 


Thunderbolt. 


Fly. 


Cercherb, 


Ingdnno, 


Riscdldano, 


Fulminano, 


I shall seek. 


Deceit. 


They warm. 


They dart 
thunderbolts. 


Schiaccerd, 


Campana, 


Avolo, 


Uitemelo, 


He will crush, 


, Bell. 


Grandfather. 


Tell it to me. 



34 EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 



EXERCISE V. 

The student who wishes to acquire a good pronun- 
ciation should commit to memory a few lines of poetry, 
by the frequent repetition of which he will acquire more 
facility than by the mere reading of many pages. This 
exercise of course would be unsuitable when he has no 
master to direct and correct him. I have selected for 
this purpose the celebrated passage of Dante in which 
he relates the death of Count Ugolino. The words in 
italics are either poetical or antiquated. I have added 
in foot-notes the words which should be used in con- 
versation. The introduction, the literal translation, and 
the explanatory notes, are taken from Mr Carlyle's ex- 
cellent translation of the Inferno. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Count Ugolino de' Gherardeschi, was chief of the Guelphs in Pisa, 
and Archbishop Ruggieri degli Ubaldini, of the Ghibellines. In 
the year 1284, Pisa was the only city of Tuscany that adhered to 
the Ghibelline party ; and Ugolino himself was of a Ghibelline fam- 
ily, but quite unscrupulous, and eager for power. In that same 
year, after the disastrous sea-fight with the Genoese, on Sunday, 
6th August, in which the Pisans lost many of their galleys, and had 
16,000 of their best men killed or taken prisoners, " the Florentines 
(in September) formed a league with the Lucchese, Sienese, &c. 
together with the Genoese, to make war on Pisa : the Florentines 
and other Tuscans by land, and the Genoese by sea." Ugolino, 
who had fled from the battle before it was fully decided, now by 
bribery and other unfair means induced the Florentines to with- 
draw secretly from the league ; and by their aid " expelled the Ghi- 
bellines from Pisa, and made himself master of it with the 
Guelphs." Vill vii. 92, 98. See also Annal. Genuens. p. 587 ; 
Cronica di Pisa, in Tartin. Supp. Rer. Ital. t. i. p. 564. 

Again, in July 1288, when three parties were competing for the 
mastery in Pisa, viz. Nino de' Visconti, Judge of Gallura, with 



EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 35 

certain Guelphs ; Ugolino, with the rest of the Guelphs ; and, in 
opposition to both, " Archbishop Ruggieri degli Ubaldini, with the 
Lanfranchi, and Gualandi, and Sismondi and other Ghibelline 
houses : the said Count Ugolino, in order to make himself master, 
united with the Archbishop and his party, and betrayed Judge 
Nino, not considering that he was his own grandson, son of his own 
daughter ; and they arranged that he should be expelled from Pisa 
with his followers, or seized in person. Nino hearing this, and not 
finding himself able to make defence, left the city and went to 
Calci, his castle ; and leagued with the Florentines and Lucchese, 
to make war on the Pisans. The Count, before Nino was gone, in 
order the better to conceal his treachery, when every thing was ar- 
ranged for the expulsion of the Judge, went out of Pisa to a manor 
of his called Settimo. As soon as he was informed of Nino's depar- 
ture, he returned to Pisa with great joy, and was made Lord of the 
city amid great rejoicing and festivity. But his lordliness was of 
brief duration. Fortune turned against him, as it pleased God, 
because of his treacheries and sins ; for with truth it was said he 
had caused Anselmo da Capraia, his sister's son, to be poisoned, 
out of envy and fear, lest Anselmo, who was much esteemed in Pisa, 

might take his place The force of the Guelphs being thus 

impaired, the Archbishop took means to betray Count Ugolino, and 
caused him to be suddenly attacked in his palace by the fury of the 
people, telling them that he had betrayed Pisa, and given up their 
Castles to the Florentines and Lucchese ; and the people having 
come upon him without any defence, he surrendered. And in this 
assault a son and a grandson of Count Ugolino's were killed; 
and he himself taken, with two of his sons and three (or two ? as 
below) of his grandchildren, sons of his son, and put in prison." 
Vill. vii. 121. 

" In the following March, the Pisans, who had imprisoned Count 
Ugolino with two of his sons, and two sons of his son Count Guelfo 
(as we have mentioned above), in a tower on the Piazza degli An- 
ziani, caused the door of that tower to be locked up, the keys to be 
thrown into the Arno, and all food withheld from the said prisoners, 
who died of hunger in a few days. But the Count had previously 
kept demanding penitence with loud cries, and yet they permitted 
no friar or priest to confess him. All the five, when dead, were 
dragged together from the tower and meanly interred ; and from 
thenceforward the said prison was called the Tower of Famine, and 
always will be. For this cruelty the Pisans throughout the whole 
world, wherever it became known, were greatly blamed ; not so 



36 EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 

much for the Count himself, who by reason of his crimes and treach- 
ery was perhaps worthy of such a death, but for his sons and grand- 
sons who were young boys and innocent, ch 9 erano giovani garzoni 
e innocenti." Vill. vii. 128. 

For further details see Cronica di Pisa, in Murat. Rer. Ital. t. xv. 
p. 979, &c. ; Annales Genuen. ibid. t. vi. p. 608, &c; Fragm. Hist. 
Pis. ibid. t. xxiv. p. 648, &c. ; and the other Cron. di Pisa, in Tartin. 
Supplem. Rer. Ital. t. i. p. 564, &c. 



La bocca sollevo dal fiero pasto 

Quel peccator, forbendola a' 1 capelli 
Del capo ch' egli avea 2 diretro 3 guasto. 

Poi comincio : Tu vuoi ch' io rinnovelli* 
Disperato dolor, che il cor 5 mi preme, 
Gia pur pensando, pria 6 ch' io nefavelliJ 

Ma se le mie parole esser den' 8 seme, 
Che frutti infamia al traditor ch' io rodo, 
Parlare e lagrimar vedrai insieme. 

Io non so chi tu sie, 9 ne per che modo 
Venuto sei quaggiu ; ma Fiorentino 
Mi sembri veramente, quand' io t' odo. 

Tu dei 10 saper ch' io fui il Conte Ugolino, 
E questi 1' Arcivescovo Ruggieri : 
Or ti diro perch' io son tal vicino. 

Che per 1' effetto de' suoi rnal 11 pensieri, 
Fidandomi di lui, io fossi preso 
IZposcia 12 mSrto 13 dir non e mestieri. u 

Pero quel che non puoi avere inteso, 
Cioe, come la morte mia fu cruda, 
Udirai ; e saprai se m' ha ofFeso. 

Breve pertugio 15 dentro dalla muda, 1G 
La qual per me ha il titol della fame, 
E in che 17 conviene ancor ch' altri si chiuda, 



! ai, 



6 prima. 10 deyi. 34 necessario. 

2 aveva. 7 parli. n cattivi. 15 buco. 

3 di dietro. 8 devono, 12 dopo. 16 oscura prigione. 

4 rinnuovi. 9 sei. 13 ucciso. 17 cui. 

5 cuore. 



EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 



37 



IP avea mostrato per lo suoforame 1 

Piu lune gia, quand' io feci il mal 2 sonno, 
Che del futuro mi squarcio il velame. 3 

Questi pareva a me maestro e donnof 
Cacciando il lupo e i lupicini al raonte, 
Per che 5 i Pisan veder Lucca non^6/z?20. 6 

Con cague magre, studiose" 1 e eonte, 8 

Gualandi con Sismondi, e con Lanfranchi 
S' avea messi dinanzi dalla fronte. 

In picciol corso mi pareano stanchi 

Lo 9 padre e i figli, e con 1* agute 10 scane 11 
Mi parea lor veder fender li u fianchi. 

Quando fui desto innanzi la dimane, 13 

Pianger senti' fra '1 sonno i miei figliuoli, 
Ch' erano meco, e dimandar del pane. 

Ben sei crudel, se tu gia non ti duoli, 

Pensando cio ch' il mio cor u s' annunziava ; 
E se non piangi, di che pianger suoli I 

Gia eran desti, e 1' ora s' appressava 
Che il cibo ne soleva essere addotto, 15 
E per suo 16 sogDO ciascun dubitava, 

Ed io sentii chiavar 17 V uscio di sotto 
All' orribile tone : ond' io guardai 
Nel viso a' niiei^ft woi 18 senza/ar motto. 19 

Io non piangeva, si dentro impietrai : 
Piangevan elli ;-" e Anselmuccio mio 
Disse : Tu guardi si ! Padre, che hai \ 

Pero non lagrimai, ne rispos' io 

Tutto quel giorno, ne la notte appresso, 
Infin che V altro Sol nel mondo uscio, 21 

Come un poco di raggio si fu messo 
xsel doloroso carcere, ed io scorsi 
Per quattro visi il mio aspetto stesso, 



apertura. 


7 sollecite, ar- 12 i. 


17 chiudere a chiave 


cattivo. 


denti. 13 il giorno. 


18 figliuoli. 


yelo. 


8 destre. 14 cuore. 


19 parlare. 


signore. 


9 il. 15 portato. 


20 eglino. 


cui. 


10 acute. 16 il suo. 


21 usci. 


possono. 


11 denti. 





38 EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 

Arnbo 1 le mani per dolor mi morsi ; 

E quei, 2 pensando ch' io ilfessi 3 per voglia 
Di manicarf di subito levorsi, 5 

E disser : Padre, assai ci fia 6 men doglia 7 
Se tu mangi di noi : tu ne vestisti 
Queste misere carni, e tu le spoglia. 

Quetaimi 8 allor, per non farli piu tristi : 
Quel di, e 1' altro stemmo tutti muti : 
Ahi dura terra, perche non t' apristi I 

Poscia 9 die fummo al quarto di venuti, 
Gaddo mi si gitto disteso a' piedi, 
Dicendo : Padre mio, che 10 non m' aiuti I 

Q,uivi mori ; e come tu mi vedi, 
Vid' io cascar li tre ad uno ad uno, 
Tra il quinto di e il sesto, ond' io mi diedi 

Gia cieco a brancolar sovra 11 ciascuno ; 

E tre di li chiamai, poi ch' ei 12 fur 13 morti : 
Poscia, u piu che il dolor, pote il digiunc. 

Quand' ebbe detto cio, con gli occhi torti 
Riprese il teschio misero co' denti, 
Che furo 15 all' osso, come d' un can, forti. 

Ahi Pisa, vituperio delle genti 
Del bel paese la dove il s) suona ; 
Poi che i vicini a te punir son lenti, 

Muovasi la Capraia e la Gorgona, 

E faccian siepe ad Arno in su la foce, 
Si ch' egli 16 annieghi in te ogni persona. 

Che se il Conte Ugolino aveva voce 17 
D' aver tradita te delle castella, 18 
Non dovei 19 tu ifigliuoi 20 porre a tal croce. 

Innocenti facea 1' eta novella, 

Novella Tebe 1 Uguccione e il Brigata, 

E gli altri duo 21 che il canto suso 22 appellee, 23 



1 tutte e due. 


7 dolore. 


13 furono. 


18 castelli. 


2 quelli. 


8 mi calmah 


14 poi. 


19 dove vi. 


3 facessi. 


9 poi. 


15 furono. 


20 figliuoli. 


4 mangiar. 


10 perche. 


16 egli is an ex- 


21 due. 


5 si levarono* 


11 sopra. 


pletive. 


22 di sopra. 


6 sara. 


12 eglino. 


17 nome. 


23 nomina. 



EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 39 

TRANSLATION. 

From the fell repast that sinner raised his mouth, wiping 
it upon the hair of the head he had laid waste behind. Then 
he began : " Thou wiliest that I renew desperate grief, which 
wrings nry heart, even at the very thought, before I tell 
thereof. But if my words are to be a seed, that may bear 
fruit of infamy to the traitor whom I gnaw, thou shalt see 
me speak and weep at the same time. I know not who 
thou mayst be, nor by what mode thou hast come down 
here ; but, when I hear thee, in truth thou seemest to me a 
Florentine. Thou hast to know that I was Count Ugolino, 
and this the Archbishop Ruggieri : now I will tell thee why 
I am such a neighbour to Mm, That by the effect of his ill 
devices I, confiding in him, was taken and thereafter put to 
death, it is not necessary to say : but that which thou canst 
not have learnt, that is, how cruel was my death, thou shalt 
hear — and know if he has offended me. 

" A narrow hole within the mew, which from me has the 
title of Famine, and in which others yet must be shut up, 
had through its opening already shown me several moons, 1 
when I slept the evil sleep that rent for me the curtain of 
the future. This man seemed to me lord and master, chasing 
the wolf and his whelps, upon the mountain 2 for which the 
Pisans cannot see Lucca. With hounds meagre, keen, and 
dexterous, he had put in front of him Gualandi with Sismondi, 
and with Lanfranchi. 3 After a short course, the father and 
his sons seemed to me weary ; and methought I saw their 
flanks torn by the sharp teeth. When I awoke before the 
dawn, I heard my sons who were with me, weeping amid 
their sleep, and asking for bread. Thoi^'art right cruel, if 
thou dost not grieve already at the thought of what my 
heart foreboded ; and if thou weepest not, at what art thou 

1 From July to March. 

2 Monte St Giuliano, between Pisa and Lucca, which are some 
twelve miles apart, 

3 Ruggieri, Lord and Master of the chase ; the Ghibelline nobles, 
leaders of the keen hounds or populace ; Ugolino, the father Wolf 
with sons. 



40 EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 

used to weep ? They were now awake, and the hour ap- 
proaching at which our food used to he brought us, and each 
was anxious from his dream, and below I heard the outlet 
of the horrible tower locked up : whereat I looked into the 
faces of my sons, without uttering a word. I did not weep : 
so stony grew I within. They wept ; and my little Anselm 
said : c Thou lookest so ! Father, what ails thee I ' But I 
shed no tear, nor answered all that day, nor the next night, 
till another sun came forth upon the world. When a small 
ray was sent into the doleful prison, and I discerned in their 
four faces the aspect of my own, I bit on both my hands for 
grief ; and they, thinking that I did it from desire of eating, 
of a sudden rose up and said : ( Father, it will give us much 
less pain, if thou wilt eat of us : thou didst put upon us this 
miserable flesh, and do thou strip it off.' Then I calmed 
myself, in order not to make them more unhappy. That 
day and the next we all were mute. Ah, hard earth ! why 
didst thou not open l When we had come to the fourth 
day, Gaddo threw himself stretched out at my feet, saying : 
' My father ! why don't you help me V There he died ; and 
even as thou seest me, saw I the three fall one by one, be- 
tween the fifth day and the sixth, whence I betook me, 
already blind, to groping over each ; and for three days 
called them, after they were dead. Then fasting had more 
power than grief." 1 

When he had spoken this, with eyes distorted he seized 
the miserable skull again with his teeth, which as a dog's 
were strong upon the bone. Ah, Pisa ! scandal to the people 
of the beauteous land where " Si " is heard ! 2 Since thy 

1 So that Ugolino died on the ninth day : and the old Pisan com- 
mentator, Buti, says the tower was opeced after eight days, "dopo 
li otto giorni." Many volumes have been written about verse 75. 
Does the piu pott (" was more powerful ") indicate only that hunger 
killed Ugolino ? Or that fasting overcame his senses, and made 
him die eating as his poor children had invited % The words admit 
of either meaning. 

2 Italy, where Si is the word for yes. Dante (Vulg. Eloq. i. 8) 
gives Jo or ja as characteristic of the Germans, Saxons, &c. ; Oc 



EXERCISES ON PRONUNCIATION. 41 

neighbours are slow to punish thee, let the Capraia and Gor- 
gona 1 move, and hedge up the Arno at its mouth, that it 
may drown in thee every living soul. For if Count Ugolino 
had the fame of having betrayed thee in thy castles, thou 
ought est not to have put his sons into such torture. Their 
youthful age, thou modern Thebes ! made innocent Uguc- 
cione and Brigata, and the other two whom my song above 
has named. 2 

of the " Spaniards " (the Langue d'Cc, used at the Court of Castile ; 
as well as in Provence, to part of which it gave name) ; Oil or out 
of the French, and Si of the Italians. 

1 Small islands, not far from the mouth of the Arno. 

2 Troya in his Veltro Allegorico (Flor. 1826, p. 28, &c.) asserts, in 
opposition to Villani and other contemporary historians, that Ugo- 
lino's sons and grandsons were not innocent, the Archbishop not 
guilty, &c. ; but the Veltro still seems much more like a romance 
than a piece of sober history. One is led to suspect speedy proofs 
of many hazardous assertions in it. Such books darken every part 
of the subjects on which they treat, and are inexcusable among 
serious men. 



PAET III. 

PRINCIPAL RULES OF THE ITALIAN 
LANGUAGE. 



PAET III. 

PRINCIPAL RULES OF THE ITALIAN 
LANGUAGE. 

GENDER. 

1. There is no neuter gender in Italian. All nouns are 
either masculine or feminine. 

2. All nouns are feminine except those that end in o, 
me, re, nte. 

3. Nouns ending in a are feminine. The exceptions are 
a few nouns derived from the Greek, the most common 
of which are — 



Clima, climate. 



Programma, programme. 



Sistema, system. 
Stratagemma, stratagem. 
Terna, theme. 



Diadema, diadem. 
Pianeta, planet. 
Poeta, poet. 
Poema, poem. 

4. All nouns ending in o are masculine except mano 
(hand). 

5. Nouns ending in e may be either masculine or 
feminine. No certain rule can be given on the subject. 
Nouns ending in me, re, nte, are generally masculine. 

6. Nouns ending in i and u are few, and they are gen- 
erally feminine. Dl and its compounds are masculine, 
as Lunedl (Monday), MartedX (Tuesday). Peru and 
Corfu are also masculine. 

7. The names of fruit-trees are masculine, and of the 



46 NUMBER. 

fruit, feminine, except fico (fig), porno (apple), arancia 
(orange), cedro (cedar). These names are applied both to 
the tree and the fruit. 

8. Some words have two terminations in the singular ; 
as, cavaliere or cavaliero (a knight), barbiere or barbiero 
(a barber), straniere or straniero (a stranger), sentiere or 
sentiero (a path). Cavaliere, barbiere, straniero, and sen- 
tiero, are more used. Both terminations are masculine. 



NUMBER. 

9. Feminine nouns ending in a change for the plural 
the a into e. All other nouns change the last vowel 
into i. 

10. Nouns ending with io drop the o for the plural if 
the i is not accented. 

11. Some nouns ending in io in the singular have for 
their plural ii or j. This is seldom done now, except 
for the sake of distinguishing one noun from another. 
Thus, tempio (atemple), becomes tempii or tempj in the 
plural, to distinguish it from the plural of tempo (time), 
which would otherwise be the same. 

12. Dissyllables ending in co and go change them into 
chi and ghi; except porco (pig), Greco (Greek), mago 
(magician). 

13. Some words, as mendico (a beggar), may be written 
either with an h in the plural or without it (rnendichi or 
mendici). 

14. Words of more than two syllables, ending in co 
and go, preceded by a consonant, have their plurals in chi 
and ghi; as, albergo (inn), alberghi (inns). 

15. Nouns ending in ca and ga change these termina- 
tions into die and ghe in the plural. 



NUMBER. 



47 



16. Nouns ending in ie have no variation in their 
plural ; as, specie (species), requie (rest), superficie (sur- 
face), barbarie (cruelty), progenie (progeny) serie (series), 
effigie (effigy). 

17. Nouns accented on the last vowel do not change. 

18. The few nouns that end in i do not change. 

19. The plural of Dio (God) is Dei ; of uorno (man), 
udmini ; of bue (ox), buoi. 

20. Collective nouns, such as popolo (people), esercito 
(army), assembled (assembly), are generally used in the 
singular. 

21. The masculine nouns migliajo (a thousand), cen- 
tinajo (a hundred), novo (an egg), miglio (a mile), pajo (a 
pair), staio (a bushel), moggio (a sort of measure), have 
for their plural migliaia, centinaja, uova, miglia, paja, staja, 
mdggia. All these plurals are feminine. 

22. The following nouns have two plurals ; the first, 
regular and masculine, ending in i ; the second, irregular 
and feminine, ending in a : — 



Anello, ring. 
Braccio, arm. 
Calcagno, heel. 
Castello, castle. 
Ciglio, eyelid. 
Cor no, horn. 
Dito, finger. 
Filo, thread. 

Fondamento, foundation. 
Frutto, fruit. 
Fuso, spindle. 
Gesto, gesture. 
GinocchiOy knee. 



Gomito, elbow. 

Grido, cry. 

Labbro, lip. 

Legno, wood. 

Lenzuolo, sheet. 

Membro, member. 

MurOy wall. 

Osso, bone. 

Porno, apple. 

Quadrello, arrow, (poet.) 

Riso 9 laughter. 

Sacco, sad. 



Strido, scream, (poet.) 

23. The feminine plural is used in preference. Coma 
means horns ; corni is the plural of corno (horn), a musi- 



48 ARTICLE. 

cal instrument ; lefrutta means the dessert ; gesta means 
deeds ; gomiti is the plural of gomito, a sort of measure ; 
legna means firewood ; merribri means members of an as- 
sembly ; membra, limbs ; muri means walls, but mura is 
used only for the walls of a town. 

ARTICLE. 

24. The definite article for the feminine is la (plural 
fe). 

25. The definite articles for the masculine are lo (plural 
gli), and il (plural i). 

26. Lo is placed before a vowel, or an s followed by a 
consonant. 

27. Before z we may use either il or lo. 

28. La and lo take an apostrophe before a word be- 
ginning with a vowel. In the plural the elision is avoided 
unless the two vowels are the same. 

29. Gli never takes an apostrophe except when fol- 
lowed by i. 

30. Di (of), a (to), da (from), in (in), con (with), su 
(on), are joined to the articles when followed by them, 
so as to form one word. 

31. Di, in, and con, when they are joined to the ar- 
ticles, are changed into de, ne, and co. 

32. The prepositions con and su are joined to il and /, 
but may be joined or not to the other articles. 

33. i7is joined to the prepositions by adding I to them ; 
thus, del, at, dal, nel, col, suL 

34. Lo, la, and le, when joined to the prepositions, 
double the I ; thus, dello, delta, delle ; alio, alia, alle, &c. 

35. I and gli are joined to the prepositions without 
any change. 



ARTICLE. 49 

36. Per is sometimes joined to ?7, as pel mezzo (through 
the middle). This combination is not much used in con- 
versation. 

37. Per is sometimes followed by to. We say, per to 
piu (for the most), per to meno (at least). 

38. Signore and signora are preceded by an article, 
except when addressing a person by these words. 

39. Infinitives of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, when 
used as substantives, take an article. 

40. An article is often placed before the names of cele- 
brated persons ; as, il Tasso, la Jenny Lind. It is used 
also before familiar names in the feminine ; as, la Ca- 
ter ina. 

41. Dei is preceded by gli. 

42. Some is translated by di with an article where 
quantity is expressed. When we speak of number, alcuni 
or alcune is used. Datemi del pane (Give me some bread), 
Datemi alcuni libri (Give me some books). Di with an 
article meaning some may be called the Partitive article. 

43. II is sometimes used to make the following words 
emphatical. Thus to denote a particular Friday, as, 
I was arrested on Friday the 13th of October, we say, 
Fui arrestato il Venerdi 13 Ottobre. 

44. The definitive article is used instead of on in 
phrases like this : He comes on Tuesdays and Fridays 
( Viene il Martedl ed il Venerdi). But I shall come on 
Tuesday is translated by Verro Venerdi. 

45. The English say, The father and sons ; the Ital- 
ians, 11 padre ed ifigli. 

46. The indefinite article an, a, or an, is used before a 
word that does not begin with an s followed by a con- 
sonant. 

47. A is not translated before hundred and thousand 



50 AET1CLE. 

if cento and mille are used. He had a hundred soldiers 
(Aveva cento soldati). We may say, however, Un centinajo 
di soldati, un migliajo di navi. The reason is, that cento 
and mille are adjectives, and centinajo and migliajo nouns. 

48. The English make use of a or an before nouns of 
measure or weight, but the Italians use the definite ar- 
ticle. He sells wine at two shillings a bottle (Vende il 
vino due scellini la bottiglia) ; I have bought corn for six 
pauls a bushel (Ho comprato il grano a sei paoli lo 
staio). 

49. When speaking of time, a is translated by the de- 
finite article. I pay two guineas a-week (Pago due 
ghinee la settimana). We may say also per settimana. 

50. The indefinite article is not expressed in Italian 
after the verb to be, and before a noun denoting country, 
profession, or dignity. He is an Irishman (e Irlandese) ; 
You will be an advocate (sarete avvocato) ; He is a min- 
ister of state (e ministro di stato). 

51. A is suppressed before the title of a book. An 
English Grammar (Grammatica Inglese). 

52. In exclamatory sentences the a is not translated. 
What a fine picture ! (Che bel quadro!) 

CASE. 

53. In order to understand the rules on the personal 
pronouns, it will be useful to explain the names of the 
Latin Cases. See Part I. section 57. 

54. The Cases in Latin were six, and were called 
Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, Vocative, and 
Ablative. 

55. The noun which formed the subject of the propo- 
sition was called the Nominative. 



CASE. 51 

56. The noun which expressed the object of the action 
of a transitive verb was called the Accusative. 

57. When we speak to any person, we often use some 
words, as, Sir, my sister, &c, for the name of a person 
or of his rank, &c, to call his attention to us. Such 
nouns were said to be in the Vocative case. 

58. The other three cases — the Genitive, Dative, and 
Ablative — expressed the same relation as the preposition 
di (of), a (to), da (from), do in Italian. These preposi- 
tions are therefore called Segnacasi, prepositions marking 
cases. 

59. The nominative case is called in Italian Caso retto, 
to distinguish it from the other cases called Casi obliqui. 



PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 

60. The personal pronouns are, Egli for the masculine, 
Ella for the feminine. Their plurals are, Eglino and 
Elleno. 

61. There is also another personal pronoun, Esso for 
the masculine, and Essa for the feminine. Their plurals 
are, Essi and Esse. 

62. Egli and Ella are used for persons only ; Esso 
and Essa are used both for persons and things. 

63. Egli and Eglino are used in the nominative only ; 
in the other cases we use lux for the singular, and loro 
for the plural. 

64. In the same way, Ella and Elleno are the nomi- 
natives, and Lei and Loro are the other cases. 

65. Esso, Essa, Essi, and Esse, are the same in all 
cases. 

66. After Essere (to be), and Parere (to appear), desso, 



52 PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 

dessi, &c, are used instead of esso, essi, &c, for the sake 
of euphony. 

67. The reflective pronoun is se ; it has no nominative, 
and is the same whether it be masculine or feminine, 
singular or plural. 

68. Egli is often an expletive, Egli e vero che, &c. 
It is true that. We may say also, E vero che, &c. 

69. The pronouns in the nominative are often omitted 
before a verb. We may say either Io pranzero alle sette 
(I shall dine at seven), or simply Pranzerd alle sette. 
When the omission creates an obscurity it should be 
avoided. 

70. It is I, It is you, &c, are translated by Sono io, 
Sei tu, &c. 

71. Con me, con te, con se (with me, with thee, with 
him or with her), may be expressed by meco, teco, seco. 

72. If I were he, If I were she, are translated by S'io 
fossi lux, S'io fossi lei. Happy is he, Happy am I, by 
Lui beato, me felice. 

73. All the pronouns become emphatical when coming 
after the verb. Parlero io means I shall speak myself. 

74. I stood before him is translated by Io stava dinanzi 
a lui, but also by Io gli stava dinanzi. (See Sect. 35.) 

75. Esso is an expletive affixed to lungo (along), sovra 
(upon) ; lunghesso il flume ; sovresso il ponte. These ex- 
pressions are poetical. We meet also in classical writers 
con esso lui, con esso voi ; but we should avoid these ex- 
pressions in conversation. General rule : — Prefer sim- 
plicity when you can. 

76. In addressing any person in Italian, the third per- 
son feminine is used for strangers as a mark of respect. 

77. The use of the third person feminine in addressing 
a person was introduced from the custom, once very fre- 



PRONOMINAL PARTICLES. 53 

quent, of using Vostra Signoria or Vossignoria (often writ- 
ten V. S.), meaning your lordship. This expression is 
seldom heard now, but the pronoun in the third person 
feminine seems to imply it. 

78. Voi (you) is used towards inferiors, and also as 
showing a certain degree of familiarity between equals. 

79. Tu (thou) is used between intimate friends or 
relations, and is the mark not only of equality but of the 
greatest familiarity. 

80. Voi is also used as a mark of great respect in ad- 
dressing sovereigns ; and Tu, like Thou in English, is 
used as a mark of the highest respect in addressing the 
Deity. 

81. Loro without a preposition is used instead of a 
loro before a verb. 

PRONOMINAL PARTICLES. 

82. The words mi, ci, ti, vi, si, lo, la, gli, le, ne, which 
are used often instead of the pronouns, may be called 
Pronominal Particles. It is of the utmost importance 
that the proper use and signification of these particles 
should be thoroughly understood. 

TABLE OF THE PRONOMINAL PARTICLES. 

6. Lo, him, it. 

7. Gli, to him, to it, them. 

8. La, her. 

9. Le, to her, them, 
10. Ne, of or from him, her, 

it, them. 



1. Mi, to me, me. 

2. Ci, to us, us, in it, to it, 

in them, to them. 

3. Ti, to thee, thee. 

4. Vi, to you, you, in it, to 

it, in them, to them. 

5. Si, to himself, himself, to 

themselves, themselves.* 



Si is used for both genders and numbers. 



54 PRONOMINAL PARTICLES. 



RULES ON THE PRONOMINAL PARTICLES. 

83. I. The pronominal particles are either pronouns 
under a different form, or pronouns joined to a preposi- 
tion. 

84. II. The pronominal particles are always placed 
before the verb, unless they are affixed to it. The pro- 
nouns that correspond to them are generally placed after 
the verb. 

85. III. The pronominal particles are used in prefer- 
ence, — the pronouns only when emphasis is required. 
Io vi amo (I love you) ; Io amo voi come voi amate me 
(I love you as you love me) ; Mi date un libro (You give 
me a book) ; Date un libro a met (Is it to me that you 
give a book ?) 

86. IV. The pronominal particles are affixed to the 
verb in the infinitive, present and past participle, and the 
imperative, except when the imperative is negative, or 
in the third person singular or plural. 

87. V. The last vowel of the infinitive is always cut 
off when a pronominal particle is affixed to it ; and when 
the infinitive ends, like condurre (to conduct), with an r 
before the last syllable, the latter is cut off entirely. 
Voglio condurvi io (I wish to conduct you myself). 

88. VI. The pronominal particles are also affixed to 
the interjection ecco (behold) ; eccomi (behold me, or 
here I am). 

89. VII. When ci and vi are used with mi, ti, or si, 
they come after them. 

90. VIII. Mi, ti, ci, vi, si, are changed into me, te, ce, 
ve, se, when used with lo, gli, la, le, ne ; and the two 
words are joined together, Egli melo da. 



PRONOMINAL PARTICLES, 00 

91. IX. Gli loses the g when affixed to mi, ci, ti, vi, 
si, or gli meaning themselves. 

92. X. Gli is changed into glie, and prefixed to lo, K, 
/a, ?e, ne, when these particles are used with it. 

93. XI. Gli, before lo, li, ?a, le, ne, means not only to 
him, but also to her. Glieli da means he gives them to 
him, and he gives them to Jier. 

94. XII. Li is sometimes used for gli, and often when 
we speak of the days of the month, li due, li tre, &c. (the 
second, the third), &c. 

95. XIII. Lo (him or it) and non (not) may be joined 
and form nol. I do not deny it, is translated either by lo 
non lo nego, or lo nol nego. 

96. XIV. II is sometimes used as a pronominal par- 
ticle, and instead of lo. I saluted him is translated by 

. il salutai, or lo salutai. Lo, however, is more commonly 
used, and is more agreeable to the ear. 

97. XV. It is a general rule, that when to a mono- 
syllable, or to a word accented on the last vowel, is 
affixed a termination or a word beginning with a con- 
sonant, this consonant should be doubled. Thus, if to 
da (give) is joined mi (to me), we say dammi, and not 
dami. 

98. XVI. So is very often translated by lo (it) ; I 
think so (lo credo) ; do so (fatelo), &c. 

99. XVII. Ne signifies also a noi and not (to us and 
us). Ne danno molte cose (they give to us many things). 

100. XVIII. Gli never doubles the g when affixed 
to a verb. We say dirotti* (I shall say to thee), but 
dirogli (I shall say to him). 

101. XIX. Si before an active verb often gives to it 

* The pronominal particles are sometimes affixed to other parts 
of the verb besides those mentioned in Section 86. 



56 PRONOMINAL PARTICLES. 

a passive signification. Coine si chiama means not only 
how does he call himself, but also how is he called. 

102. XX. Si sometimes seems to have the signifi- 
cation of an indefinite nominative, equivalent to the 
English one, man, they. Come si chiama may thus be 
translated by How do they call him. At home, one does 
as one pleases (a casa, si fa quel die si vuole) ;* People 
may say what they like [si pud dire quel che si vuole). 

103. XXI. Sometimes an entire sentence forms the 
subject of the proposition when si is used. Si dice che 
verrd la regina ad Edimburgo (it is said that the queen 
will come to Edinburgh). Here the nominative of si 
dice is che verra la regina ad Edimburgo. 

104. XXII. When the verb is reflective, si cannot be 
used as an indefinite nominative, but, as in English, 
we may use uno (one), noi (we),&c, as Uno si lusinga in- 
vano (one flatters himself in vain), or Noi ci lusinghiamo 
in vano (we flatter ourselves in vain), or Si lusingano 
invano (they flatter themselves in vain). 

105. The possessive pronoun is often translated by the 
pronominal particles, when we speak of any thing referred 
principally or belonging to the person spoken of. I have 
hurt my finger is translated by Mi sono fatto male al 
dito. 

ADJECTIVES. 

106. Adjectives end either in o or in e. Those that 
end in o are masculine, the o being changed into a for the 
feminine. Those that end in e are both masculine and 
feminine. 

* As the student must accustom himself to remember the open 
sound of e and o, the circumflex accent hitherto used to distinguish 
it will now be seldom used. When preceded by u y o is always 
open, and therefore need not be marked. 



ADJECTIVES. 57 

107. Adjectives follow the same rules as nouns for the 
plural. The plural of a is e ; o and e take *. 

108. Tanto and cotanto (so much), quanto (how much), 
troppo (too much), altrettanto (as much), molto (much), 
poco (little), being adjectives, are changed into a for the 
feminine, as tanta, quanta. Their plural is tanti, tante ; 
quanii, quante, &c. 

109. Piii, meno, assai (more, less, and many), are un- 
changeable in their termination. 

110. A little , in the phrase give me a little wine, being 
a substantive, and signifying a small quantity of, is trans- 
lated by un poco di. Datemi un poco di vino (give me 
a little wine). 

111. The adjective alquanto may be used instead of 
un poco di ; as, datemi alquanto vino, or un poco di 
vino. 

112. Cosifatto is the same as tale (such). Non dite 
<:osi fatie cose (do not say such things). 

113. Parecchio in the singular means such or similar, 
in the plural it means several. Ho parecchi libri (I have 
several books) ; Come avete potuto fare una cosa parec- 
chia (how could you do such a thing ?) 

114. Piii may be used instead of parecchi and par ec- 
chie. Ho piii libri, ho piii case (I have several books, I 
have several houses). 

115. Mezzo (half) agrees with a substantive when 
placed before it, but assumes the meaning of the sub- 
stantive meta when placed after it. Una mezza hot 
tiglia (half a bottle) ; Una bottiglia e mezzo (a bottle and 
a half). 

116. Bello (beautiful), quello (that), santo (saint), lose 
the last syllable before masculine nouns beginning with 
a consonant, except it be an s followed by a consonant. 



58 ADJECTIVES. 

117. Bel and quel become bei and quei, or be! and que*. 
in the plural. San has only santi for the plural. 

118. Grande is changed into gran before nouns both 
masculine and feminine, if they do not begin with a vowel, 
or 5 followed by a consonant. 

119. Buono loses the o before masculine nouns, ex- 
cept they begin with s followed by a consonant. 

120. Adjectives expressing figure, form, colour, taste, 
or derived from the name of a nation or from a verb, 
generally follow the noun. Una tavola rotonda (a round 
table) ; un vestito nero (a black dress), &c. 

121. It is often desirable to place the adjective after 
the noun when the former is composed of a greater num- 
ber of syllables, as, un libro eccellentissimo ; also when 
two or more adjectives qualify the noun ; but in such cases 
we must be guided entirely by the rules of euphony. 

122. Benedetto is sometimes an expression of impa- 
tience. If a man keep us waiting, we say in Italian, 
Quel benedetto uomo non viene (literally, that blessed 
man does not come). 

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES. 

123. When in comparisons of equality the first term 
of the comparison is indicated by the word cost or si (so), 
the second term is always indicated by the word come (as). 
Siete cost buona or si buona come bella ; you are so (as) 
good as you are beautiful. 

124. Tanto is always followed by quanto. Avete tanto 
danaro quanto ilfratel vdstro (you have as much money 
as your brother). 

125. Tale (such) is always followed by quale (as). 
Tali dobbiamo essere quali vogliamo comparire (we 
ought to be such as we wish to appear). 



COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES. 59 

126. Cost, tanto, and tale, may be understood, and we 
may say, Siete buona come bella ; Avete danaro quanto 
il fratel vostro ; Dobbiamo essere quali vogliamo com- 
parire. 

127. Tanto, quanto, tale, quale, are used as adjectives 
when followed by a substantive. Ho tanti servitori quanti 
ne avete voi (I have as many servants as you). 

128. More... than, less ...than, are translated by piu 
. . . di, meno . . . di, if the comparison is between substan- 
tives, personal pronouns, or two infinitives ; and by piu 
. . . che, meno . . . che, in all other cases. Sono piu grande 
di voi (I am taller than you are) ; E piu prudente che 
dotto (he is more prudent than learned). 

129. Than followed by a verb not in the infinitive 
mood is rendered by che non. Essi hanno meno danaro 
che non credete (they have less money than you think). 

130. When the comparison is between verbs, we may 
say piu che (more than), or piu di quello che ; meno che 
non, or meno di quello che non. Spende piu che non 
guadagna, or Spende piu di quello che guadagna (he 
spends more than he gains). 

131. The following words are comparatives derived 
from the Latin :—^ 



1. Maggiore, greater. 

2. Minore, less. 

3. Peggiore, worse. 



4. Migliore, better. 

5. Meglio, better, (adv.) 

6. Peggio, worse, (adv.) 



132. It must be observed that migliore and peggiore 
are adjectives ; meglio and peggio adverbs. 

133. The superlative absolute is formed by adding 
issimo to the adjective. ElV era bellissima (she was most 
beautiful) ; or by placing molto before it, ElV era molto 
bella. 



60 COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES. 

134. Sciocco and scioeca (foolish) make the superlative 
schiocchereUo and scidccherella. The h is here added to 
the terminations erello and erella, to preserve the hard 
sound of the a in sciocco and scioeca. 

135. The superlative absolute may become an adverb ; 
thus from grandissimo we may form grandissimamente. 

136. A superlative absolute may be expressed by 
placing tutto before the adjective, or by the repetition of 
the adjective : E tutto chiuso, or e chiuso chiuso (it is all 
shut up). This last form is rather familiar. 

137. The superlative of relation is indicated by placing 
an article before piu and meno : il piu forte di tutti gli 
uomini. 

138. The following superlatives are derived from the 
Latin : — 



1. Ottimo, best. 

2. Pessimo, worst. 

3. Minimo, least. 

4. Iwfimo, lowest. 



5. Supremo, highest. 

6. Acerrimo, most harsh or 
cruel. 

7. Celeberrimo, most famous. 



139. The definite article before a comparative is not 
translated into Italian. The more difficult a thing is, the 
more honourable it is [piu una cosa e difficile piu essa 
e onorevole). 

140. Sometimes tanto e quanto are placed before piu 
and meno. Tanto piu uno e ignorante, tanto piu egli e 
pronto net giudicare (the more ignorant a man is, the 
more ready he is to judge). The tanto , like the article 
the in English, serves to give force to the sentence. 

141. Come and quanto may be changed into al pari 
di (equally). Lo conosco al pari di voi (I know him as 
well as you do). 



61 



AUGMENTATIVES AND DIMINUTIVES. 

142. Augmentatives and diminutives are words whose 
signification is modified by the addition of one or more 
syllables. 

143. The termination one added to a word conveys 
the idea of greatness. All feminine nouns that receive 
this termination become masculine. Example : La tavola 
(the table) ; II tavolone (the large table). 

144. Feminine adjectives do not change their gender 
when one is affixed to them. She is very silly, is trans- 
lated by Ella e una scioccona. 

145. The termination ino 1 which adds to the noun the 
idea of little, sometimes renders it masculine. Thus from 
tavola (table) we form tavolino (small table). 

146. The termination accio expresses contempt ; as, 
dmaccio (a contemptible man); donnaccia (a contemptible 
woman). 

147. Uomo (man) always loses the vowel u when any 
termination is affixed to it. 

148. The terminations azzo and astro, like actio, 
express contempt, but are less used : Popolazzo (mob) ; 
giovanastro (a despicable youth). 

149. Otto means rather, as grassotto [rather fat). 

150. The termination ino expresses not only littleness, 
but a certain affection towards the object ; etto conveys 
the same idea, but it may also mark contempt. Exam- 
ples : Fanciullino, fanciulletto (little child). 

151. The termination uzzo (omuzzo, little man, dwarf) 
expresses littleness, the effect of extraordinary leanness 
in a person of very small stature. 

152. Erello (vecchierello, little old man) may indicate 



02 AUGMENTATIVES AND DIMINUTIVES. 

smallness alone, and also levity and want of dignity 
in the object so qualified ; as when we speak of a vain 
and affected man (vanarello) ; of a foolish girl [pazzarella) y 
&c. 

153. Icciuola (dmicciuolo, worthless little man) may 
denote physical defect in size, and the little importance 
of the individual or object to which it is attributed. 

154. Icciattolo and icciatto [omicciattolo omicciatto r 
contemptible man) expresses a very great degree of con- 
tempt. 

155. Some words are susceptible of one termination 
rather than another, 

156. Adjectives and some adverbs can be thus modi- 
fied : caro (dear), carino, carina ; hello (fine), bellino, 
bellina ; and bene (well), benino f benone. 

157. There are double augmentatives and diminu- 
tives : ladro (thief), ladrone (great thief), ladronaccio 
(great ugly thief) ; cosa (thing), cosetta (little thing), 
cosettina (very little thing). 

158. Each termination expresses a different idea or 
shade. There is a variation of meaning, which we can 
learn only by experience and practice, in the changes of 
which some words are susceptible; as, vecchio, vecchie- 
rellino, vecchiettinOj vecchietto, vecchierelIo f vecchiotto, vec- 
chiuzzo. 

159. The use of augmentatives and diminutives is 
most frequently admitted in the familiar style. 



63 



NUMERALS. 

160. The numeral adjectives are divided into Cardinal 
and Ordinal. 

CARDINAL NUMBERS. 

DiciassHte, seventeen. 

Diciotto, eighteen. 

Diciannove, nineteen. 



Uno, 
Due, 
Tre, 

Quattro, 

Cinque, 

Sei, 

Sette, 

Otto, 

Nove, 

Dieci, 

Undici, 

Dbdici, 

Tredici, 

Quattbrdici, 

Quindici, 

Sedici, 



one. 

two. 

three. 

four. 

five. 

six. 

seven. 

eight. 

nine. 

ten. 

eleven. 

twelve. 

thirteen. 

fourteen. 

fifteen. 

sixteen. 



Venti, 
Ventuno, 
Trenta, 
Quaranta, 
Cinquanta, 
Sessanta, 
Sfttanta, 
Ottanta, 
Novanta, 
Cento, 

Due cento, } 
Dugento, J" 
Mille, 



ORDINAL NUMBERS. 



Primo, first. \ Decimo sesto, 

Secondo, second. Decimo settimo, 

Terzo, third. Decimo ottavo, 

Quarto, fourth. Decimo nono, 

Quinto, fifth. Ventesimo, 

Sesto, sixth. Ventesimo primo, 

Settimo, seventh. vigesin to primo, 

Ottavo, eighth. Trentesimo, 

Nono, ninth. Quarantesimo, 

Decimo, 'tenth. Cinquantesimo, 

Undecimo* de- 1 , ., Sessantesimo* 

.' y- eleventh. ~ .. ... 

cimo primo, j bettantesimo, 

Duodecimo* de-^ , ,«, Ottantesimo, 

' y twelfth. A . ,, . 

cimo secondo, v A ovantesimo, 

Decimv terzo, thirteenth. Centesimo, 

Decimo quarto, fourteenth. Millesimo, 

Decimo quinto, fifteenth. 



twenty, 
twenty- one. 
thirty, 
forty. 

fifty. 

sixty. 

seventy. 

eighty. 

ninety. 

hundred. 

two hundred. 

thousand. 

sixteenth. 

seventeenth. 

eighteenth. 

nineteenth. 

twentieth. 

twenty-first. 
I 

thirtieth, 
fortieth, 
fiftieth, 
sixtieth, 
seventieth, 
eightieth, 
ninetieth, 
hundredth, 
thousandth. 



64 NUMERALS. 

161. Mille has the plural mila. 

162. We cannot say in Italian, undid cento, dodici 
cento , &c. ; but mille e cento, mille e due cento, &c. 

163. The ordinal number placed after the name of so- 
vereigns to indicate the order of succession has no article 
before it as in English ; Leone decimo (Leo the Tenth). 

164. After 21, 31, 41, 51, &c, the substantive qual- 
ified by these numbers is singular ; Vent 1 un franco, trentf 
un franco, &c. It seems in such cases that the plurality 
of twenty is unnoticed, and that the substantive is made 
to agree with the singular number uno. 

165. In multiplication we may say quattro volte quattro 
fanno sedici, or quattro via quattro sedici (four times four 

make sixteen). 

166. Li is used very frequently instead of the article 
gli before the cardinal number indicating the day of the 
month; Partiremo li died (we shall set out on the tenth). 
Observe that on is not translated into Italian. 

167. Both is translated by tatli due, or tutti e due, as 
I wish them both (li voglio tutti e due), when it is re- 
ferred to two nouns, but by e...e when referred to two 
sentences ; I shall go there both to-morrow and next 
day (vi andro e domani e Valtro). 

168. By twos, by threes, by fours, are translated by 
a due, a tre, a quattro. Two by two, three by three (a 
due a due, a tre a tre), 

169. The adjective same is often elegantly translated 
by uno (one). All lead to the same end (tutti tirano ad 
unfine). 

170. When we speak of the hour of the day, we say 
e la una (it is one o'clock), sono le due (it is two o'clock), 
sono le tre (it is three o'clock), &c. 

171. It is immaterial whether the substantive be placed 



NUMERALS. 65 

after or before the Cardinal number ; as, anni venti cinque, 
or venti cinque anni (twenty-five years). 

172. We cannot say two and thirty, three and thirty, 
&c. ; but only thirty-two, thirty-three [trenta due, trenta 
tre), &c. 

173. In early times, the Italians began to count 
the hours from one sunset to another. One o'clock was 
the first hour after the setting of the sun, and the twenty- 
fourth hour the one immediately before. It is still cus- 
tomary in some parts of Italy to say, le ventitre, le venti- 
quattro, as a convenient way to express one or two hours 
before dusk. 

174. Una decina, una dozzina, una quindicina, una 
ventina, una trentina, una quarantina, un centinajo, un 
migliajo, are collective substantives derived from the nu- 
merical adjectives. 

175. This day week, this day fortnight, are translated 
by oggi a otto, oggi a quindici. 

176. Per uno means for each person. II pranzo ci 
e costato cinque franchi per uno (the dinner cost us five 
francs a-piece). 

177. In speaking of the different centuries of our liter- 
ature, the thirteenth century is called il dugento, the four- 
teenth il trecento, the fifteenth il quattrocento, and so on. 

178. And is not used in notation, as in the following 
and similar phrases : In the year one thousand eight 
hundred and fifty-one (iielV anno mille ottocento cinquan- 
tuno). 

PRONOUNS. 

179. The definition generally given of a pronoun is 
correct, namely, that it is a word used instead of a 
noun ; but the application of this definition is confined to 



66 PRONOUNS. 

the class of Personal pronouns. These have already been 
spoken of. 

180. There are two other kinds of pronouns, viz. 
Relative and the Adjective pronouns, which are, properly 
speaking, either adjectives or articles, though some of 
them are nouns. 

181. Relative pronouns are such as relate in general 
to some word or phrase going before, thence called the 
Antecedent. They are, who, which, and what. Example : 
"The man is happy who lives virtuously " [Vuomo il 
quale vive virtuosamente e felice)* 

182. What is a kind of compound relative, including 
both the antecedent and the relative, and is equivalent to 
that which : as, " This is what I wanted," that is to say, 
" the thing which I wanted." It is translated in Italian 
by Quel che or cid die, or la cosa che ; Questo e quel che 
voglio, or cio che voglio ; or Questa e la c6sa che voglio. 

183. Who is applied to persons, which to things and 
irrational animals. This distinction is not found in the 
Italian language. 

184. That as a relative is often used to prevent the 
too frequent repetition of who and which. It is applied 
to both persons and things, and is translated by Che. 
He that acts wisely, &c. [colui che agisce saviamente). 

185. Who, which, and what, are called Interrogatives 
when they are used in asking questions, and are trans- 
lated respectively by chi, quale, and che. 

186. The word that is sometimes a relative, sometimes 

* The relative pronouns may be called Conjunctive Adjectives, 
as they fulfil the office of a conjunction in joining one proposition 
to another, and in a certain manner make the proposition which 
follows them equivalent to an adjective, as when we say, the king 
who is just {il re che e giusto), which is the same as the just king 
{il re giusto). 



PRONOUNS. 67 

a conjunction, and sometimes a demonstrative pronoun. 
When it is a demonstrative pronoun, it is translated by 
quello? 

187. The adjective pronouns are subdivided into four 
kinds : namely, possessive, distributive, demonstrative, and 
indefinite, 

188. The possessive pronouns are those which relate 
to possession or property. In English they are seven in 
number : my, thy, his, her, our, your, their. In Italian 
there are only six : mio, iuo, suo, nostro, vostro, loro. 

189. The possessive pronouns, being adjectives, agree 
in gender and number with the substantive ; but mio, tuo, 
and suo, are irregular in their masculine plural, which is 
miei, tuoi, suoi. 

190. Loro is unchangeable, being alike in the mas- 
culine and feminine, singular and plural. 

191. The distributive pronouns are those which, taken 
separately, denote the persons or things that make up a 
number. They are, each (ciascuno), every (ogni), either 
(l'uno o 1'altro). 

192. The demonstrative pronouns are those which point 
out precisely the subjects to which they relate : in Eng- 
lish there are two, tjiis and that. This refers to the nearer 
person or thing, that to the more distant.-}- 



* The student will observe that the word that is a relative pro- 
noun when it can be turned into who or which, a demonstrative 
pronoun when it is immediately followed by a noun to which it 
refers or is joined, and a conjunction in all other cases. 

f The demonstrative pronouns perform the same office as the 
article, namely, they limit the extension of the noun ; as, i" like 
books, I like this book, I like the book. In the first example, I mean 
books in general; in the second and third, one particular book. 
Hence the correct denomination of these words should be that of 
demonstrative articles. 



68 PRONOUNS. 

193. This is translated by questo, and that by quello. 
But when the person or thing is near, or belongs or re- 
fers" to the person spoken to, cotesto is used; as, What 
coat is that which you have on ? (che abito e cotesto 
che avete indosso ?) What words are these that you say ? 
(che parole sono coteste che dite f) 

194. The indefinite pronouns are those which express 
subjects in an indefinite or general manner; as, some 
(qualche), other (altro), any (alcuno), one (uno), all {tut- 
to), &c. These are either adjectives or nouns. 

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE ITALIAN PRONOUNS. 
CHE. 

195. Che after a semicolon, colon, or period, always 
means because. It is sometimes accented "when used in 
this manner: Placati: che altrimenti, &c. (be appeased: 
because otherwise). 

196. Che is used in some exclamatory expressions 
with the imperative, and seems to add force to such sen- 
tences : Che benedetta sia Vora (blessed be the hour) ; che 
sifaccia (let it be done). The verb voglio (I wish) is un- 
derstood before such phrases. 

197. Non che is elegantly used instead of non solo (not 
only). Petrarch says, Spero trovar pietd, non cue per- 
dono (I hope to find pity, not pardon only). 

198. Che as a conjunction may be understood : Voglio 
mi diciate (I wish that you would tell me). 

199. Che is used as a substantive, and means ivhich 
thing ; II che non e vero (which thing is not true).* 

200. The books you bought, should be translated by 
I libri che compraste. A most important rule in render- 

* Alcun che is the same as alcuna cosa (something). 



PRONOUNS. 69 

ing English into Italian is to supply all the words under- 
stood in English, unless we know that such words may 
also be omitted in the Italian. 

201. Che used with non means but or only, Non hanno 
che un libro (they have but one book). 

202. Che is used for since. E molto tempo che son 
qui (I have been here a long time). 

203. Che means so that. Chi lo legherd che non si 
sciolga f (who will tie him so that he may not release 
himself?) 

204. Che may be used for affinche (in order to). 
Guardava cVintorno dove si potesse porre che non si 
bagnasse (he looked round where he might place him- 
self in order that he might not become wet). 

205. Non ho che fare means I have nothing to do. 

206. Che che means whatever. Che che avvenga (what- 
ever may happen). 

207. Lest is translated by che non. Do not give him 
so much money lest he abuse it {non gli date tanto danaro 
che non ne abusi). 

208. Che is used with piu and meno. Piu che (more 
than) ; meno che (less than). (See Section 128). 

209. Che is often used as an expletive after an inter- 
jection; AMI che sono per duto (Alas! I am lost). 

210. In exclamatory sentences, What a man! ichat a 
woman! the indefinite article a is omitted. What a 
man ! {che uomo !) what a woman ! {che donna !) 

211. What? in interrogative sentences is translated 
by che t or che cosa t (what thing ?) or cosa alone. Che 
dite t or che cosa dite f or cosa dite f (what do you say?) 

212. Che is used for quel che (that which or what) 
Non so che dite (I do not know what you say). 



70 PRONOUNS. 

CHI. 

213. Chi is always singular. It means, 

1 . Who is the person that ? 

2. The person who. 

3. Some persons. 

1. Chi parlaf (who speaks?) 

2. Chi lo dice ha ragione (he who says so is right). 

3. In questo mondo chi piange e chi ride (in this world 

some weep and some laugh). 

cui. 

214. Speaking of persons, cui is used in the genitive, 
dative, or ablative case more commonly than che. 
L'uomo di cui parlate (the man of whom you speak). 
Speaking of things, che may be used in all cases. 

215. Cui should always be used for che when the latter 
might create obscurity. The man whom my father loved, 
is better translated by Vuomo cuiamava mio padre than by 
Vuomo che, &c. Owing to the nominative coming so fre- 
quently after the verb in Italian, the second example might 
be understood to signify The man who loved my father. 

216. Cui is sometimes used between the article and 
its substantive, and then means di cui ; as, II cui valore 
(the valour of whom, or whose valour). 

217. Quale means come in comparison, and is followed 
by tale. Dante says, Quale i fioretti dal notturno gelo 
chinati e chiusi, poiche il sol gVimbianca, si drizzan tutti 
aperti in loro stelo ; tal mi fec'io di mia virtute stanca. 
[As flowerets, by the nightly chilness bended down and 
closed, erect themselves all open on their stems when the 
sun whitens them, thus I did with my fainting courage). 
— Dr Carlyle 1 s Translation. 

218. Quale means whoever, whatever, or whichsoever. 



PKONOUNS. 71 

Qual di lassie discende (whoever descends from above) ; 
Qual si sia la cagione (whatever may be the cause) ; 
Qual volete di questi due libri f (which of these two books 
do you wish ?) 

219. Quale in the above signification is often joined to 
si sia or si voglia, as qualsisia or qualsivoglia ; plural, 
qualsisiano and qualsivogliano. 

220. Quale is used in the singular in the sense of some 
persons. Quale se ne ando in campagna, e qual quel e 
qual la (Some persons went into the country, and some 
here and some there). 

221. Quale is used as well as che in expressions of 
doubt. Non so qual cosa, or che, mi tenga dal, &c. (I do 
not know what keeps me from, &c.) 

222. Quale is used in the,«ame way in interjections. 
Quale amove, qual ricchezza, qual parentela ! or Che 
amove, che richezza, che parentela ! (What love, what 
wealth, what parentage !) 

223. Tale e quale means "exactly such." 

224. Cotale is the same as tale (such). How can you 
say such a thing ? (Come potete dire una tal cosa, or una 
cotal cosa ?) 

225. I. Onde means "of whom or which." L'uomo 
onde si p aria (the man of whom one speaks). 

226. II. Onde expresses also the things with which. 
Conmene che mi guadagni con fatica onde vivo onde 
vesto (I must gain with difficulty the means by which 
I live and dress). 

227. III. Onde means " so that." Comincia a piovere 
onde e meglio che torni a casa (It begins to rain, so that 
I had better return home). 

228. IV. Onde has also the signification of in that 

E 



72 PRONOUNS. 

place, whither : Ld onde to vado non c'e (it is not in the 
place to which I am going). 

229. V. Onde and donde mean whence. Non so onde 
or donde veniate (I do not know whence you come).* 

POSSESSIYE PRONOUNS. 

230. The possessive pronouns are, — 

SINGULAR. PLURAL. 

Masculine and Feminine. Masculine and Feminine. 

Mio, mia, my, mine. Miei, mie, my, mine. 

Tuo, tua, thy, thine. Tuoi, tue, thy, thine. 

Suo, sua, his, her. Suoi, sue, his, her. 

Nostro, nostra, our. Nostri, nostre, our. 

Vostro, vostra, your. Vostri, vdstre, your. 

Loro, their. Loro, their. 

231. The possessive pronoun agrees with the thing 
possessed, and not with the possessor. Mary sold her 
ring (Maria ha venduto il suo anello). 

232. The possessive pronoun is preceded by an article 
when agreeing with a substantive expressed or under- 
stood. II mio panno (my cloth) ; Questo panno e il mio 
(this cloth is mine). 

233. It must be observed that there is a difference be- 
tween questo panno e mio, and questo panno e il mio, cor- 
responding to the difference between this cloth is mine and 
this is my cloth. 

234. The article is omitted before possessive pronouns 
agreeing with a substantive expressing relationship or 

* It will be observed that this word has very different significa- 
tions, according to which it forms a different part of speech. It has 
been thought more convenient to state all that was essential to be 
known about such words when they first occur, than to introduce 
the observations under various heads. 



PRONOUNS. 73 

dignity, but never if a word comes between them, or 
if the possessive pronouns are in the plural or before 
loro. 

Ecco mio fratello (here is my brother). 

Ecco il mio caro fratello (here is my dear brother). 

Ecco il loro fratello (here is their brother). 

Ecco i miei fratelli (here are my brothers). 

235. Though mio before fratello has no article, as in 
the first of the above examples, the article may be used 
to add force, and we may sometimes say emphatically 
ecco il mio fratello. 

236. Some familiar expressions for relations, such as 
mamma and its diminutives, require an article before the 
possessive. La mia mamma (my mamma) ; La mia sorel- 
lina (my little sister). 

237. They are sisters of mine, they are friends of his, 
should be translated by sono mie sorelle, so?io suoi amici ; 
but these are my sisters, these are my friends, are trans- 
lated by queste sono le mie sorelle, questi sono i miei amici. 

238. When the meaning of what we say is perfectly 
clear, the possessive is often omitted. E partito colla 
moglie, coi figli, e con tutta la famiglia (He went away 
with his wife, his children, and all his family). 

239. The possessive pronouns are used also as sub- 
stantives. The sense supplies the meaning. Ha per- 
duto il suo (he has lost his fortune) ; rivedrb i miei (I 
shall again see my relations) ; II capitano si ritirb co 1 suoi 
(the captain retired with his men). 

240. The personal noun in the dative is very often 
substituted for the possessive pronoun. Thus, instead of 
saying he is not my father {egli non e mio padre), the 
Italians prefer saying egli non mi e padre. This is par- 
ticularly the case in speaking of the various parts of 



74 PRONOUNS. 

the body or of dress. Eccovi il fazzotetto (here is your 
handkerchief) ; Se lo pose sulle ginocchia (he put it upon 
his knees). 

241. It is immaterial whether we say un mio amico (a 
friend of mine), or uno dei miei amici (one of my friends). 

242. Sometimes we use the personal pronoun instead 
of the possessive, to prevent obscurity : as, Csesar loves 
his brother and his sons (Cesare ama suo fratello ed i 
figli di lui). 

243. When own is added to the possessive pronoun, 
it may be omitted, or translated by proprio. She wrote 
that letter with her own hand (Scrisse quella lettera di 
STiopugno, or di suo proprio pugno, or di proprio pugno), 

244. One's own is translated by proprio when used 
generally. To confess one's own sins is a mark, &c. (11 
confessare i propri peccati e segno, &c.) 



DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS. 

245. The Italians have three demonstrative pronouns : 
questo (this), quello (that), and cotesto, the meaning of 
which cannot be expressed by a single word in English. 
It is used when we speak of any person or thing refer- 
ring, belonging, or near to the person spoken to. Cotesto 
vestito vi va bene (that coat fits you well) ; Che parole sono 
coteste ? (what words are those of yours ?) 

246. Questo is often employed as an expletive with 
oggi (to-day). Thus we say oggi or quest 7 oggi non esco 
(I do not go out to-day). 

247. Mane and mattina (morning), sera (evening), 
notte (night), are joined to questa, and form the adverbs 
stamane, stamattina, stasera, stanotte. 



PRONOUNS. 75 

248. Codesto, codesti, may be used instead of cotesto, 
cotesti. 

249. From cotesto we have derived the adverbs costd 
and costly meaning the place where the person addressed 
is. 

250. Costi is used for a definite spot ; costa is a more 
general expression. This distinction is also found be- 
tween qui and qua (here), li and la (there). 

251. In questo, in questa, in quello, in quella, mean 
on this or on that time or occasion. Tempo is under- 
stood with questo and quello, and ora with questa and 
quella. In quella arrivarono due soldaii (at that mo- 
ment two soldiers arrived). 

252. Costui, costei, costoro, mean this man, this 
woman ; these men, these women. Colui, colei, color v, 

. mean that man, that woman ; those men, those women. 

253. Questi, cotesti, and quegli, signify this or that 
man, and are used only in the nominative singular. 
Questi and quegli correspond to costui and colui ; Cotesti, 
like cotesto, applied to an individual near the person 
spoken to. 

254. Cio has the same signification as questa, cotesta, 
or quella cosa. Che vuol dir cio ? (what does this 
mean ?) 

255. From cio are derived cioe (this is), ciocche (that 
which), acciocche (in order that), &c. 

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS. 
OGNI, QUALUNQUE, CHIUNQUE, CIASCUNO, CIASCHEDl NO. 

256. Ogni signifies every, and is used for the singu- 
lar of both genders. The plural may be expressed by 



76 PRONOUNS. 

tutti i or tutte le. Ogni giorno, ogni noite ; or tutti i 
giorni or tutte le notti. 

257. From ogni we form ognuno (every one), and 
ognora (always). Ognora is rather poetical. 

258. Every other day, every third day, every fort- 
night, are rendered by ogni due giorni, ogni tre giorni, 
ogni quindici giorni. 

259. Qualunque persona is the same as ogni persona 
cite (every person that). 

260. Chiunque is the same as qualunque uomo, or 
ogni uomo che (every man that, or whoever). 

261. Ciascuno and ciascheduno are the same as ognuno 
(every one). The feminine is ciascuna, ciascheduna. 

262. Each is translated by per uno in such phrases as 
this : He gives each of us two apples (ci da due mele 
per uno). 

ALCUNO, QUALCHE, NESSUNO, NIUNO, VERUNO, NIENTE. 

263. Alcuno signifies some, any. Avete alcuna difft- 
coltd ? (have you some or any difficulty?) Give me 
some books (datemi alcuni libri) ; I see some ladies 
(vedo alcune signore). 

264. The partitive article del, dei, della, delle, &c, 
should be used for some when, instead of number, we 
speak of quantity. (See Section 42). Give me some 
sugar {datemi del zucchero). 

265. Alcuno with non after it is the same as nessuno. 
Alcuno non vifu, or nessuno vifu (there was no one). 

266. Qualche may be substituted for alcuno, but it 
is always singular. Give me some agples (datemi alcune 
mele, or qualche meld). 

267. Nessuno, niuno, and veruno, signify no and no 
one, being either adjectives or substantives. No one 



PRONOUNS. 77 

knows it (nessuno, niuno, or veruno lo sa) ; Nothing is 
certain (nessuna cosa e certa). 

268. When nessuno, niuno, veruno, and niente (nothing) 
follow a verb, non (not) is always placed before it. Non 
ho niente (I have nothing). 

269. Nessuno, niuno, veruno, may signify alcuno. 
Piu veloce che nessun cavallo (swifter than any horse). 

270. Niente and nulla are sometimes used for some- 
thing. Se io posso far nulla per voi, commandatemi (if I 
can do any thing for you, command me). 

271. Niente and nulla may sometimes be expressed by 
che. Chi e innocente non ha niente da temere ; or Chi e 
innocente non ha che temere (he who is innocent has no- 
thing to fear). 

272. Nullo means null or void, and is then an adjec- 
tive. Those laws were rendered null {quelle leggi furdno 
rese nulle). 

TUTTO. 

273. Tutto (all) as a substantive, is generally without 
an article. Tutto e finito (all is over) . II may be used for 
greater emphasis. 

274. Tutto che and con tutto che signify although. 

275. All of us is translated by not tutti or tutti noi. 

276. Con tutto cib, tuttavia, con tutto questo, signify 
nevertheless. Al tutto, del tutto, al tutto e per tutto (en- 
tirely) ; Per tutto, da per tutto (every where) ; Tutt 1 
altro (in a quite different manner) ; Tutt 1 or a (always) ; 
E tutt 1 uno (it is all one, the same). 

277. Tutto quanto is more emphatical than tutto. Oggi 
vi aspetto tutti quanti (to-day I expect you all) ; Tremava 
tutta quanta (she trembled all over). 



78 PRONOUNS. 



ALTRO, ALTRUI. 



278. Altro means any thing else ; Avete altro t (have 
you any thing else ?) 

279. Non e altro che means nothing else ; Non fa 
altro che cica 7 are (she does nothing else but chatter). 

280. Altro is often used for much more. C'e altro ! 
(there is a great deal more !) 

281. Per altro is used for however. Per altro e molto 
avaro (however, he is very avaricious). 

282. Otherwise is sometimes translated by altro. Thafc 
cannot be otherwise than useful to you {Non pub esservi 
a 7 tro che utile). 

283. Dotto quanto qualunque altro (as learned as any 
other). Uomo (man) is understood after altro. 

284. We say Chi altrit (who besides?) Nessun altro 
(no one else). 

285. Altri sometimes signifies some men. Altri cangia 
il pelo prima che i costumi ; some men change their hair 
(become old) sooner than their customs. Altri is sin- 
gular. 

286. Altri in the plural is often an expletive. Noi 
altri, voi altri, quelli altri (we, you, those). These ex- 
pressions are very frequent. 

287. Words derived from altro, altri: — 

1. Altramente, altramenti, altrimenti (otherwise). 

2. Altresi (also). 

3. Altretale or altrettale (the same). 

4. Altrettanto (as much). 

5. Altronde (from another part). 

6. AJtrove (elsewhere). 

288. Altrui is used in every case except the nominative 
instead of altri. Pensoso piu d'altrui che di se (more 



PRONOUNS. 



79 



anxious about others than about himself) ; Uccide dltrui 
(he kills others). 

289. Ualtrui cose is the same as the cose degli altri 
(the things of others). Ualtrui is also a substantive, 
meaning the property of others. 

290. Altrui is used by itself instead of of others, Beato 
Vuomo che impara a spese altrui (happy is the man who 
learns at the expense of others). 



PREPOSITIONS. 



291. Prepositions, with the cases they govern, 

> Near by, at the side of, about 

On, upon one's back, about, at 
Opposite, over against 

llike 



Accanto 

Allato 

Addosso 

A f route 

A guisa 

A rnodo 

Anzi 

Appetto 

Apple 

Appresso 

Avanti 

Circa 

Contra 

Contro 

Dentro 

Dietro 

Di Id 

Di qua 

Ducosto 

Dopo 

Eccetto 

Entro 



Dat. Gen. 

Dat. 
Dat. Gen. 



Before 

Opposite, in comparison with 

At the foot 

With, near, by, next 

Before, in the presence of 

About, concerning 

> Against, over against 

Within 

Behind 

On that side ) 

On this side j 

Far 

After 

Except, but 

Within, in 



Gen. 

Ace. 

Dat. Gen. 

Gen. 

Ace. Gen. Dat. 

Dat.Acc.Abl. 

Ace. Dat. Gen. 

Gen. Act. Dat. 

Dat. Ace. 
Dat.Acc.G.Abl. 

Abl. 

Abl. Dat. 
Ace. Gen. Dat. 
Ace. 
Ace. Dat. 



* The case first specified is the one most generally in use. 



80 PREPOSITIONS. 

Fino, Sino Till, until, as far as, to Dat. Ace. 

Fra y Tra Within ? between,besides, among Ace. 

Fuori Beside, besides, out, outside Gen. Ace. 

Fuorche Except Ace. 

In mezzo In the middle Dat. Gen. Act. 

Infuori Except, but, excepted Abl. 

Intorno About, round about Dat. 



Lungi 
Lontano 



Far Abl. Dat. 



Lunqhesso 1 A1 A 

r * > Along, near Ace. 
Lungo j ° 

Mediante Through, by means of, for Ace. 

Oltre, oltra Beyond, besides Dat. Ace. 

Prima Before Gen. 

Presso Near, almost Dat. Gen. Ace. 

^ ' > As far, as to, as Dat. 
quanto J 

Rasente Close to Ace. Dat. 

imp* t Over against, opposite Dat. 
Dirvmpetto j 

Salvo Except, but, save Ace. 

Secondo According to Ace. 

Senza Without Ace. Gen. 

Sopra, sovra On, upon, by Ace. Gen. Dat. 

Sotto Under Acc.Gen.D.Abl. 

Su, Su per Upon, on Ace. 

Verso Towards, to Ace. Gen. 

Vicino Near Dat. Gen. 

292. Infuori is placed after the case it governs : as, 
Da voi infuori (except you). 

293. Salvo and vicino may be, declined. Examples : 
Perdemmo tutto salvo, or salva, la vita (we lost every 
thing but life). 



PREPOSITIONS. 81 



294. Di (of) is the sign of the genitive. It expresses 
principally possession and derivation. U nome di Maria 
(Mary's name) ; Ilfiglio di Carlo (Charles' son). 

295. When the preposition is a mere sign to indicate 
relation between other words, and without any distinct 
meaning attached to it, di should be used. Temo di 
perdere (I fear to lose). 

296. With after an adjective or participle is translated 
by di. Armed with swords (armati di spada). 

297. Di is often used with an adjective, forming an 
adverb. Di subito or subitamente (suddenly) ; di certo 
(certainly) ; di soverchio (excessively) ; di nascosto (se- 
cretly). 

298. Di tempo in tempo means from time to time. Di 
venti in trenta anni (from twenty to thirty years). 

299. Di is often an expletive ; as, 
Dir di si (to say yes). 

Dir di no (to say no). 
Credo di si (I think so). 
Credo di no (I think not). 
Prima di voi (before you). 
Dopo di voi (after you). 
Andar mfuori (to go outside). 
Andar di dentro (to go within). 
Andar di sopra (to go above). 
Andar di sotto (to go below). 
Andar di su (to go up stairs). 
Andar di giu (to go down stairs). 

300. Di su, di giu, &c, may become nouns with an 
article before them. II di su (the upper part) ; 27 di giu 
(the lower part). 



82 PKEPOSITIONS. 

301. We say often quel birbante di Calandrino (that 
rogue Calandrini) ; Quello sciocco di Giovanni (that 
foolish man, John), &c. 

302. Di has often the sense of the partitive article. 
Give me some of that wine (dammi di quel vino)* 

303. Various English prepositions are sometimes trans- 
lated by di. 

304. I. In. — Be is the greatest man in London [e il 
piil grand 1 uomo di Londra). 

305. II. As, or in regard to. — Gid vecchio d'anni, ma 
giovanissimo di senno (alread}^ old as to years, but very 
young as to wisdom). 

306. III. For. — Pianse di dolcezza (she wept for joy). 

307. IV. From. — Divenuto principe di richissimo ne~ 
goziante (from being a very rich merchant having become 
a prince). 

308. V. From (da,).—Silevo di capo la corona (he took 
the crown from his head) ; Parti di Palermo (he departed 
from Palermo). 

309. VI. About. — Parleremo di questo (we shall speak 
about this). 

310. VII. To.— She is sister to Lord D. ; which is 
the way to London? [E sorella di Lord D.; quale e la 
strada di Londra f) 

311. VIII. During. — Andar di giorno (to go during 
the day). 

A. 

312. A is used exactly as the two English prepositions 
to, at, and shows the point to which an action is directed. 

* Tin poco (a little) is always understood before a partitive ar- 
ticle. Dammi di quel vino, dammi del zucchero, is used for the sake 
of brevity, instead of dammi un poco di quel vino, dammi un poco del 
zucchero (give me a little of that wine, a small quantity of sugar). 



PREPOSITIONS. 83 

Andiamo a pranzo (let us go to dinner). Look at me 
(guar date a me). A is followed by d before a vowel. 
Andiamo ad Anversa (let us go to Antwerp). 

313. A is often used instead of con (with), as, rimase a 
occhi bassi, A bocca aperta (be remained with bis eyes 
cast down, with his mouth open) ; Parlare a stento (to 
speak with difficulty). 

314. I am going home is translated by vado a casa ; 
he is not at home (non e in casa). 

315. To take from every one is translated by togliere 
A ciascuno. 

316. Observe the translation of in by a in such phrases 
as. If you come to the theatre you will find me in the first 
tier (Se venite al teatro mi trover ete at primo or dine ;) I 
reside in London (dimoro a Londra). 

. 317. In English, a noun may be qualified by another 
noun prefixed to it, in the same manner as by an adjec- 
tive. In Italian, the qualifying noun preceded by a (to), 
di (of), or da (from), is placed after the noun qualified. 

1. A windmill; un molino a vento (a mill moved by 
the wind). 

2. A gold ring; an anello d'oro (material). 

3. A bedroom ; camera da letto (use). 

da {from or by). 

318. This preposition, besides the signification of from 
or by, has several others, some of which could with diffi- 
culty be expressed by other words. The student should 
make himself thoroughly acquainted with the following 
examples, which illustrate the various uses of this pre- 
position, and commit them to memory. 

319. I. Da=before(avanti). Vho veduto spesso passare 
da casa mia (I saw him often pass before my house). 



84 PREPOSITIONS. 

320. II. Da — (about) circa ; Uscirono da dodici sol- 
dati (there came out about twelve soldiers). 

321. III. Da= (since). Da queltempo sono sempre stato 
disgraziato (since that time I have always been unhappy). 

322. IV. Da = becoming, fit for (conveniente, appro- 
priate a). Sono gioje da donne (these are jewels for 
women) ; Non sono cose da lui (these are not things fit 
for him). 

323. V. Da, before a town, means born in. E da 
Firenze (he was born in Florence). Speaking of countries 
di is used ; e di Toscana (he was born in Tuscany). 

324. VI. Da followed by a means between. Voglio 
parlargli da solo a solo (I wish to speak to him pri- 
vately, i. e. between ourselves) . We say also a quattro occhi. 

325. VII. Da = to (a), or at the house of (a casa). 
Venite da me (come to me, or to my house). 

326. VIII. Da = as, come. Ti giuro, da galantuomo 
(I swear to you as an honest man). 

327. IX. Da = to be used for. Andiamo nella sola 
da mangiare, nella camera da letto (let us go into the 
dining-room, into the bedroom). 

328. X. Da = something for. Datemi da mangiare 
(give me something to eat, or for eating) ; Datemi da 
scrivere (give me something for writing, or writing ma- 
terials). 

329. XI. Da = through, (per). Passer emo da Milano 
(we shall pass through Milan). 

330. XII. Da = having, or who has. In this case 
the article is always affixed to it. L'uomo dal nero vestito 
(the man who has the black dress). This construction, 
however, is borrowed from the Greek, and is little used 
except in poetry. We should rather say vestito di nero 
(dressed in black). 



PREPOSITIONS. 85 

331. XIII. Da = towards, on. Andate da quella 
parte (go on that side). 

332. XIV. Da often serves to form adverbial ex- 
pressions. Dite dawero ? (do you speak seriously ?) 

333. XV. Da also forms a kind of adjective when 
followed by the noun bene. Un uomo da bene or dabbene 
is the same as un buon uomo. 

334. XVI. Da may signify alone. Vi andrb da me 
I shall go there alone). 

335. XVII. By is translated by da in all cases in 
which it does not signify by the means of. It is then 
translated by con. 



336. Per means not only for, but also through. Sono 
andato vagando per lo mondo sette anni (I went wandering 
through the world seven years). 

337. Per means during [durante). Vi starb per un 
mese (I will stay there during a month). 

338. To, meaning in order to, is translated by per. 
I came to speak to you [sono venuto per parlarvi). 

339. Per is often followed by lo instead of il. Per lo 
mondo (through the world). 

340. Per giorno, per uomo, signify every day, for 
every man. Bevo un bicckiere di vino per giorno (I 
drink a glass of wine a- day or each day) ; Ho dato due 
scudi per uomo (I have given two crowns to every man). 
A testa is the same as per uomo. 

341. Per tempo means early. Other adverbs are 
formed with per, as per accidente (accidentally, &c.) 

342. Per grande eke fosse, per quanto faccia, signify 
however great he might be, whatever he might do. 

343. Per mare e per terra means by sea and by land ; 



86 PREPOSITIONS. 

Per Dio, for the sake of God ; Essere per qffbgare means 
to be near, on the point of being drowned ; Nonfa per te 
(it is not becoming, it is not for thee). 



344. In is the same as in English. Sometimes it is 
used for su. Mettetevi il cappello in capo (put your hat 
on your head). The preposition into is wanting in Italian. 
II Tamigi mettefoce, or sbocca, in mare (the Thames flows 
into the sea). 

su. 

345. Su means sometimes towards, near (verso, vicino). 
Sulfar del giorno {towards or near the break of day). 

FRA 01' TRA. 

346. Fra or tra (between). Fra poco, fra un ora i 
signify in a little, in an hour ; fra noi (among ourselves). 

347. We meet sometimes fra and tra joined to the 
articles, as tral, among the. 

ADVERBS. 

348. Adverbs may be formed from all adjectives, by 
adding the substantive mente to them. Viparlo chiara- 
mente (I speak to you clearly). 

349. The substantive mente is feminine. The adjective 
must agree with it. If it ends in o, it is changed into a 
[chiaramenle) ; if in e, it is not changed. Scrive elegante* 
menfe (he writes elegantly). If in le or re, the e is cut 
off. Fedelmente (faithfully; ) superiormente (in a superior 
manner). 

350. Many adjectives are used as adverbs without any 
change. Viparlo chiaro (I speak to you clearly). There 
is no rule for pointing out those that may be so used. 



87 



OBSERVATIONS ON SOME ADVERBS AND CONJUNCTIONS. 

351. Pure (yet) is often used after an imperative to 
express concession. Posso andarmene? andate pure. 
(may I go? you may go). 

352. Pure sometimes means also. Verrete voi pure 
(you will come also). 

353. Neppure {ne pure) means not even. Neppure 
una volta (not even once). 

354. Pure means also solamente (only). Grid pur pen- 
sando, &c. (already in thinking only, &c.) 

355. Pure is joined to other words. Neppure (not 
even) ; eppure (and yet) ; oppure (or yet) ; purche (pro- 
vided, &c.) 

356. Pur troppo means "but too much so." E pur 
troppo vero (it is but too true). 

357. Pure is often an expletive. Ed e pur vero! 
(and it is indeed true !) 

358. Vie or via are used before piu and meno instead 
of molto or assai. . E vie piu bella, or via piu bella di voi 
(she is much more beautiful than you). 

359. Assai means either enough or much. The stu- 
dent should rather, use abbastanza for enough, and molto 
for much. 

360. Or ora means, like " just now" in English, either 
a very short time before or after the present moment. 
Verrb or ora, Uho veduto or ora (I shall corns just now, 
I have seen him just now). 

361. Di la means in the next room. C'e di la ilsarto 
(the tailor is in the next room) ; Chi e di la? (who is 
there ?) Al di la means beyond ; E riuscito al di la delle 
sue speranze (he succeeded beyond his hopes). 

362. Time, meaning the repetition of any action, is 

F 



88 ADVERBS AND CONJUNCTIONS. 

rendered by volta, not tempo. Once, twice, three times 
[una volta, due volte, tre volte), 

363. Ago is translated either by fa, which is unchange- 
able, or by essere, which agrees with the noun. A year 
ago, two years ago, three years ago (e un anno, sono due 
anni, or due anni sono, sono tre anni, or tre anni sono ; and 
also un anno fa, due anni fa, tre anni fa, &c.) 

364. Ci and Vi are employed for here and there when 
the place spoken of has been previously mentioned ; but 
strictly speaking they still preserve their original signi- 
fication of in it, to it, in them, to them. 

365. Non che means not only ; anzi means nay, on the 
contrary. Mica punto gid are used to give more force 
to a negation : Non credo mica, non credo punto, non 
credo gid (I do not believe indeed). 

366. Gid gid is more forcible than gid alone. E gid 
gid mezzo finito (it is already half finished). From gid 
we derive giacche (since). Forseforse is used as gid gid, 
as more expressive than forse ; so also punto punto and 
a few other words. 

367. Gid signifies already or formerly ; it is some- 
times an expletive ; it may also stand for of course. 

Vho GiKfatto (I have done it already). 
Ehbi gia un amico (I had formerly a friend). 
Non e gia un codardo (he is not certainly a coward). 
Lof arete? GriA (will you do it? Of course). 

368. How is translated by quanto when there is an 
exclamation. How cruel he was ! [quanto erafiero!) 

369. Then is differently translated according to its 
different meanings. 

1. At that time (Allora). 

2. Afterwards (Poi). 

3. Therefore (Quindi). 



ADVERBS AND CONJUNCTIONS. 89 

370. Rather may be translated by anzi che no. They 
are rather beautiful (sono belle anzi che no). 

371. Quando and ove are used for se with a verb in 
the subjunctive mood. Quando vogliate, ove vogliate (if 
you wished). 

372. Quando, quand'anche, quando ancora, quando 
pure, benche, sebbene, quantunque. All mean although, 
and require the verb in the subjunctive mood. 

373. Per che has various significations. 

1. Perche andate via t [why do you go away ?) 

2. Perche ho voglia di andar via {because I wish to go 
away). 

3. Non vi ho dato il danaro perche lo spendiate subito 
(I did not give you the money in order that you should 
spend it immediately). 

4. Non lasciavamo d'andare, perche parlasse (we did 
not cease to go, though he spoke). This use of perche 
is not so common as the others. 

5. La finestra era molto alta da terra, perche come la 
donna cadde subitamente mori (the window was very high 
from the ground, so that when the woman fell she died 
suddenly). 

374. Perche as a substantive signifies the reason. 
Ditemi il perche (tell me the reason). 

375. Nothing but is translated by se non, altro che, or 
altra cosa che. My master does nothing but scold [il 
mio maestro non fa altro che sgridare). 



90 



MOODS AND TENSES. 



376. The passive verbs in Italian, as in English, are 
always expressed by the verb essere (to be), followed by 
the past participle of the active verbs. Amare (to love), 
essere amato (to be loved). 

377. The principal moods are the Infinitive, Indicative, 
Conditional, Imperative, and Subjunctive. 

378. The following tenses have particular terminations 
by which they are easily known : — * 



1. Fresent indicative. 

2. Past imperfect indicative. 

3. Past perfect indicative. 

4. Future indicative. 



5. Future conditional* 

6. Present imperative. 

7. Present subjunctive. 

8. Past imperfect. 



379. The past imperfect indicates a past action in an 
imperfect manner ; that is, without stating precisely the 
point or time of its cessation. This is done in two ways : 
1. Without any reference to another past action. When 
I was a boy I was (or used to be) thought very clever 
(quando ero ragazzo ero stimato molto ingegnoso). 2. 
Showing its continuation after the cessation of another 
action. When she came into my room, I was reading 
(quando entrb nella mia camera io leggeva, or stava leg- 
gendo). My action of reading might h<*ve continued after 
the other action of entering the room was finished. 

380. The use of the imperfect is very difficult to Eng- 
lish students, both in the study of French and Italian. 
The French and the Italians have acquired such a facility 
in distinguishing the perfect and imperfect tenses, that 

* For the sake of brevity, the future of the conditional will be 
called Conditional, and the present of the imperative the Imperative. 



MOODS AND TENSES. 91 

even without thinking they are sure to be correct. The 
English student can only hope to succeed by great atten- 
tion and long practice. The following practical rules 
may be useful to him : 1. Use rather the perfect than 
the imperfect when you are uncertain. 2. Never use 
the imperfect unless you can express the past tense in 
English by " I used to," " I was." I used tobe thought (ero 
stimato) ; I was reading (io leggeva, or stava leggendo). 

381. The Italians give to the past imperfect the name 
of Pendente, from pendere (to hang, to be in suspense). 

382. When an action is considered as entirely past, it 
may have finished either lately, or for some time, or for 
a time not specified. When the action has taken place 
lately, the tense is called Past determinate, and is ex- 
pressed by the present of the compound tenses. Sono 
stato al teatro ed ho veduto V opera nuova (I went lately 
to the theatre and have seen (saw) the new opera). 

383. When the action has happened for some time, or 
for a time not specified, the past is called {Indeterminate. 
Io fid in Parigi e vi conobbi molti volenti uomini (I was in 
Paris and knew there many worthy men). The preterite 
expresses such an action. 

384. There are two other past tenses which denote an 
action past for a long time, and differing from each 
other in the same way as the imperfect does from the 
perfect. The first is called Trapassato Imperfetto, and 
the second, Trapassato Perfetto. Trapassato means past 
for a long time. Example of the first : Io aveva veduto 
in Milano, &c. (I had seen in Milan, &c.) ; second, Come 
io ebbi udito ilfatto I (as I had heard the fact). 

385. The future tense is either imperfect or perfect. 
The imperfect merely expresses the future in a general 
way. Amero (I shall love). The second future, the per- 



92 MOODS AND TENSES. 

feet, expresses the future action in a more certain manner ; 
as, Avro amato (I shall have loved). This future is used 
in reference to another action. Quando tornerb in Italia, 
sard gid invecchiato (when I shall return to Italy, I shall 
have already grown old). 

386. The imperative has two tenses, the present and 
the future. Present, va su (go up) ; future, prenderai 
domani il mio cappello e lo porterai dal cappelliere (to- 
morrow you will take my hat, and you will carry it to the 
hatmaker). A third tense of the imperative expresses an 
action which we wished to be finished (past) at a certain 
time. Domani aboiate imparata quella lezione (to-morrow 
you must have learnt that lesson). 

387. It may be noticed here, that when the imperative 
is negative, and in the second person singular, the infini- 
tive is used instead of the usual form. Non hatter e quel 
fanciullo (do not strike that child). Here there is an 
ellipsis of devi. Non devi battere, &c. (you ought not to 
strike, &c.) 

388. The optative mood expresses desire. It is used 
either absolutely or conditionally. Example of the first : 
Possa questo fanciullo amare lo studio (may this child 
love study). Of the second : OA, sefossi da tanto vedresti 
cosafarei (oh, if I were able, you would see what I would 
do). In both these examples, the optative mood is in 
the present tense. 

389. The future and past tenses of the optative mood 
have the same division in the optative as in the indicative 
mood. Example of a future imperfect, Dio voglia che io 
ami ; of a future perfect, Dio voglia che io dbbia ad 
amare (God grant that I may love; God grant that / 
may have to love). 

390. The forms of the optative and subjunctive are the 



MOODS AND TENSES. 93 

same in Italian. It must be noticed, however, that the 
future of one mood has the same form as the present of 
the other. Dio voglia che io aini (God grant that I may 
love), here ami is future. Benche io ami (though I may 
love), here ami is present. 

391. The terminations of the present perfect in the 
optative become in the subjunctive those of the past im- 
perfect. Example : Dio volesse che io amassi (would to 
God that I might love) ; Benche io amassi (though I 
might have loved). 

392. The infinitive mood can have no tense, yet 
Italian tenses may be expressed by this mood in a general 
way. Ex. : Amare (to love), avere amato (past) ; avere 
ad amare (future imperfect) ; avere avuto ad amare (fu- 
ture perfect). Essere per amare (to be on the point of 
loving) ; Essere stato per amare (to have been on the 
point) ; Essere amato , avere ad essere amato, &c. (to be 
loved, that shall be loved, &c.) 

393. The participle is either past or present. The 
present participle is called also Gerondio (gerund).* 

394. We have only two future participles ; futuro (1 rat 
shall be), and ventuko (that shall come). Old writers 
had more. / 

* From the present participle or gerund we form an adjective by 
changing do into te. Amare, amando, amante (to love), loving (par- 
ticiple), loving (adjective). Amante is also a noun {lover). Gram- 
marians call this adjective present participle, and the present 
participle is called only gerund. 



94 



REGULAR AND IRREGULAR TENSES. 

395. All verbs end either in are, ere, or ire, in the 
infinitive. If a verb like condurre (to conduct), ends in 
a different way, it is contracted from the regular infinitive. 
Condurre is contracted from conducere. 

396. Some verbs have an i before the termination of 
the infinitive, to give to the c or g that precedes a soft 
sound. This i is not necessary if the termination of the 
tense begin with e or t. Mangiare (to eat), makes 
mangi-o, mang-i, mangi-a, 

397. Fare (to do), dire (to say), and here (to drink), 
are constructed from facere, dicere, and bevere. Facere 
and dicere are not used ; bevere is more used than bere, 
which is rather poetical. 

398. When an infinitive is contracted, the future and 
conditional are generally formed from it. Thus, the fu- 
ture of condurre is condurro, condurrai, &c. ; the condi- 
tional, condurrei, condurresti, &c. 

399. Of the eight tenses of the Italian verbs, four are 
regular and four irregular. 

400. The regular tenses are the imperfect and the fu- 
ture of the indicative, the conditional, and the imperfect 
subjunctive. 

401. The irregular are the three present tenses, indi- 
cative, imperative, and subjunctive, and the past perfect 
or preterite. The past participle is often irregular also. 

402. The most important conjugation is the second, 
or that of the verbs ending in ere* Credere should be 

* All verbs are divided into three conjugations, called 1st, 2d, 
and 3d, not according to their importance, but because in the al- 
phabet the order of vowels is a, e, and i. 



REGULAR AND IRREGULAR TENSES. 95 

studied as the model verb, or the verb to which all 
others should be compared. 

403. All those terminations in which the greatest 
number of verbs agree, or are the same, are regular. All 
others are irregular. 

404. Credere (to believe) is regular in all its parts 
except the past participle. As the past participle of 
am-are is am-ato, of sent-ire sent-ito, the past participle 
of cred-ere should be cred-eto. It is not so, but cred-vto. 

405. As in all tenses the third person plural is formed 
by adding either no or ro to the third person singular, 
the formation of the third person plural of the present, 
indicative from the first, as, cred-o (I believe), cred-o-no 
(they believe), may be considered irregular. 

406. The first person of the imperfect indicative is 
either cred-evA or cred-evo. The first form is preferred 
by the best writers ; the second by the inhabitants of 
Tuscany, whose spoken language Manzoni has followed 
in his " Promessi Sposi."* 

407. It is a peculiarity of regular verbs that the root 
is invariable, the terminations only being changed. Thus, 
am in amare, cred in credere, sent in sentire, is found in 
every person. Irregular verbs sometimes have the root 
and the terminations blended together, so that the in- 
finitive could not be known from them. Thus the pre- 
terite of correre (to run) is corsi ; the present of avere is 
ho, &c. 

* It is fortunate for the student of the Italian language that 
he ha3 such an excellent guide as the " Promessi Sposi,"— a work 
which cannot be too highly recommended. It combines genius and 
a high tone of morality with all the interest of one of the best novels, 
and is written in a style of the greatest purity. 



96 REGULAR AND IRREGULAR TENSES* 

408. The present of the Verb cred-ere is — 
\Cred-o. Cred-iamo. 

Cred-i. Cred-ete. 

Cred-e. \Cred-o-no. 

409. The present of the Imperative is — 

Cred-iamo. 



Cre-di. 
\ Cred-a. 



Cred-ete. 
f Cred-a-no. 



410. The present of the Subjunctive is — 



Che \cred-a. 
Che \cred-a. 
Che \ cred-a. 



Che cred-iamo. 

Che cred-iate. 
\Che cred-ano. 



RULES FOR THE PRESENT. 



411. I. The first person plural [iamo) is invariable in 
all the Italian verbs. 

412. II. The second person plural is always ete in the 
indicative and imperative ;» and in the subjunctive mood 
it is formed from the first plural by changing mo into te. 
Che cred-iamo, che cred-iate. 

413. III. In the auxiliary verbs, essere (to be), avere 
(to have), and sapere (to know), which is conjugated like 
avere, the second person plural of the imperative is like 
the second person plural of the subjunctive. 

414. IV. The second person singular in the present, 
as well as in all other tenses, ends always in i. In the 
present subjunctive, however, it may either end in i, or 
be like the Jlrst and third. 

415. V. The third person plural of the present indica- 
tive is formed by adding no to the first person singular. 

416. VI. The third person singular of the imperative 





Irregular. 


etti 


emrno. 


esti 


este. 


ette 


ettero. 



REGULAR AND IRREGULAR TENSES. 97 

is formed from the first person singular of the present 
indicative : from credo we form credx. 

417. VII. The three persons singular of the present 
of the subjunctive are like the third person singular of 
the imperative. 

418. VIII. The third person plural of the imperative 
and of the subjunctive are alike, and are formed by add- 
ing no to the third person singular : creda, creda-no, che 
creda, che creda-no. 

RULES FOR THE PRETERITE. 

419. The preterite of credere is either regular or irre- 
gular. 

Regular. 

ei emmo. 

esti este. 
e erono. 

420. All irregular preterites are alike. One person 
being known, the other two irregular persons are known 
also. The difference is this : — 

The first always end in i. 

The second is formed from the first, by changing i into e. 
The third plural is formed from the third singular, by 
adding ro to it. 

421. Though the first person of every irregular pre- 
terite always ends in i, the rest of the termination, or ra- 
ther of the person, is different in the various irregular 
verbs. 

422. The terminations etti, ette, ettero, are irregular 
because they differ from each other like all irregular ter- 
minations of the preterite ; but they are regular because 
they belong to all regular verbs in ere, and to them alone, 
excepting the preterite of dare (to give) and stare (to re- 
main). 



98 REGULAR AND IRREGULAR TENSES. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



423. I. There are some verbs in which the first per- 
son singular of the indicative may be used as a past par- 
ticiple. Thus, instead of lo ho guastato (I have spoiled), 
we may say lo ho guasto, from guasto (I spoil). Prac- 
tice only can teach in what verbs this may be done. 

424. II. In the verbs ending in care or gave like cer- 
care (to seek), negare (to deny), the c and g before the 
termination are always pronounced hard. An h must 
therefore be added before the terminations if they begin 
with e or i. lo cerco, tu cherchi, &c. (I seek, thou seekest, 
&c.) ; lo nego, tu neghi, &c. (I deny, thou deniest, &c). 

425. III. In the verb sentire the past participle is 
irregular. Cantare makes cantAndo ; credere. credEndo ; 
but sentire makes sentEndo, not sentmdo. In all other 
parts it is regular like credere. 

426. IV. Except the present indicative of credere and 
sentire, the third person plural is formed from the third 
person singular by adding to it either ro, no, or both. 

427. V. The third person plural of the imperfect in- 
dicative, future imperative, and present subjunctive, ends 
in no. 

428. VI. The third person singular of the future being 
accented, the third person plural ends in anno credera 
crederanno. 

429. VII. The third person plural of the conditional 
and of the imperfect subjunctive ends in ro. 

430. VIII. The third person plural of the preterite ends 
in ro-no crede, crede ro-no. 

431. IX. The future and conditional of the verbs in 
are are irregular ; it is not cantA.ro cantArai, but cantEro 
cantErai. 



REGULAR AND IRREGULAR TENSES. 99 

432. X. The third person singular of the indicative in 
am-are is am-A ; in cred-ere, cred-E ; and in sent-ire, 
sent-E. 

433. XI. The third person singular of the preterite in 
the three conjugations is thus cant-o, cred-E, sent-E. 

434. XII. The imperative singular in credere and sen- 
tire has for terminations i in the second person, and a in 
the third. In cantare, on the contrary, a is the termi- 
nation of the second, and i-of the third. 

435. XIII. The compound tenses of all the verbs are 
formed by adding their past participle to either avere or 
essere, 

436. XIV. Transitive verbs form their compound tenses 
with the transitive verb avere ; intransitives, with the 
intransitive essere. 

437. XV. All verbs conjugated with avere may also 
be conjugated with essere ; but then the verb becomes 
passive. Io ho battuto (I have struck) ; * b Io sono battuto 
(I am struck). 

438. XVI. After essere the past participle always 
agrees with the nominative ; noi siamo andaii in Italia 
(we went to Italy). After avere it almost always agrees 
with the accusative ; noi dbbiamo scriila una lettera. 

439. XVII. A correct distinction would be to make 
the past participle invariable after avere, unless it is 
properly an adjective. Ho avuezzo Vanima alle pene, 
would signify, I have accustomed my mind to sufferings, 
and Ho avvezzA Vanima alle pene, I have my mind ac- 
customed to sufferings ; but this distinction is seldom 
used by the best writers, and the preceding rule is gen- 
erally followed. 



100 



PECULIARITIES IN THE USE OF THE VERBS. 

440. I. As, in the sense of because, is very frequently 
used in English. " I cannot see him, as I am engaged." 
The proper translation of " as I am" is essendo (being). 
Non posso vederlo essendo impegnato. 

441. II. The present participle in English followed 
by a past participle is omitted in Italian. u Having seen 
every thing, he went away " (veduta ogni cosa, se ne ando). 

442. III. In English both the present participle and 
the infinitive may be used as substantives. In Italian the 
infinitive only can be a substantive. " Reading is useful," 
or "it is useful to read" (il leggere e utile). 

443. IV. The present participle is sometimes changed 
into the infinitive with the preposition a before. " One is 
never wrong in being silent, or to be silent " (tacendo non 
si f alia mai, or a tacere non si f alia mai. 

444. Y . A present participle preceded by a preposition 
is a substantive, and can only be translated by the infi- 
nitive. " Without looking at me " [senza guardarmd). 

445. VI. It is easy to distinguish a present participle 
used as a verb from a present participle used as a sub- 
stantive. When it has the meaning of the verb, it may 
be put in the same tense as the preceding verb. " She 
laughs crying, or she laughs and she cries at the same 
time." The perfect participle only can be used in such 
a case ; ride piangendo. 

446. VII. u Go and see him," signifies go in order to see 
him. The Italian for this and similar expressions is 
andate a vederlo. " Come and walk with me " {venite a 
passeggiare con me). 

447. VIII. Verbs expressing an action of the mind, 



PECULIARITIES IN THE USE OF THE VERBS. 101 

and dire (to say), generally govern the subjunctive. " I 
do not believe be will come," "tell hini to come" (non 
credo che venga, ditegli che venga). 

448. IX. Verbs expressing fear or doubt are often 
accompanied by non (not) as an expletive. Temo che 
nonfaccia molti errori (I fear be may commit many mis- 
takes). 

449. X. The prepositions a or da come often between 
avere and an infinitive. Ho A sperare, or ho da sperare. 
The assertion is stronger when da is used. The first ex- 
ample means only " I may hope ;" the second, " I have 
reason, or strong reasons, to hope." 

450. XL After essere a is placed between an adjective 
and an infinitive, and da between a noun and an infinitive. 
E bella a riguardare, e nomo da temere (she is beautiful 
to look at, he is a man to be feared). Da temere has 
here the passive signification as da essere temuto. 

451. XII. The student must be cautious not to use 
English idioms (anglicismi) in speaking or writing Ita- 
lian. / am going to speak is an idiom, as the word to go 
is not used in its literal meaning. The translation is Ora 
parlerd. 

452. XIII. Venire (to come) is used, and not andare 
(to go), when we say that we are going to the house of 
the persons to whom we speak or write. Verro da vol 
(I shall go to your house). 

453. XIV. Venire is also used idiomatically instead 
of essere. Mi venne detto, instead of Mi fit detto (I was 
told). 

454. XV. To express the continuation of an action for 
a certain time, an active verb is used in the present par- 
ticiple either with stare or andare. Sta leggendo (he is 
reading) ; Va passeggiando (he is walking). The verb 



102 PECULIARITIES IN THE USE OF THE VERBS. 

expressing an action that requires a change of place takes 
andare ; and verbs expressing an action that can happen 
without change of place, stare. 

455. XVI. The phrases dategli da mangiare, dategli 
da bere, dategli da scrivere, &c, signify Give him what 
is necessary for eating, drinking, writing, &c. 

456. XVII. It is I, it is you, it is he, it is we, &c, 
are translated by Sono io, sei tu e desso, siamo noi, &c. 

457. XVIII. This book belongs to Peter, should be 
translated by Questo lihro e di Pietro, better than literally 
Questo libro appartiene a Pietro. 

458. XIX. It belongs to you to do it, or it is for you 
to do it, or it is your turn to do it, are rendered thus, A 
voi tocca, or a voi sta ilfarlo, or difarlo, or afarlo. 

459. XX. Stare or essere per fare una cosa, signify 
" to be on the point of doing a thing." 

460. XXI. Darsi is sometimes used for accadere or 
essere. Si danno casi (accidents sometimes happen) ; Pud 
darsi (it may be). 

461. XXII. Volere is often used for " to be necessary." 
Ci vuolfortuna (fortune is necessary). 

462. XXIII. There is no verb in Italian to translate 
literally to like. " Do you like apples," must be rendered 
by, a Do apples please you?" (vi piacciono le melef) 

463. XXIV. To want is rendered by mancare when it 
means "to be wanting," and by aver bisogno when it means 
" to have need of." Mi mancano due libri (two books are 
wanting to me) ; Ho bisogno di due libri (I require, I have 
need of two books). 

464. XXV. To be hungry, to be thirsty, to be right, 
to be wrong, are rendered by aver fame, aver sete, aver 
ragione, aver torto. 

465. XXVI. I think so, I did so, I hope so, are ren- 



PECULIARITIES IN THE USE OF THE VERBS. 103 

dered by lo credo, i!hofatto, lo spero. We say also credo 
di si, credo di no ; (I think so, I think not). 

466. XXVII. Fidarsi (to trust), is followed by di 
Non mifido di voi (I do not trust you). 

467. XXVIII. "To play upon an instrument/' is 
translated by suonare ; and "to play, to amuse oneself," 
by giuocare. 

468. XXIX. " I must go, I must read," are rendered by 
bisogna che or devo, bisogna che vada or devo andare, &e. 

469. XXX. " I cannot help it," is translated by non 

pOSSO FARE A MENO. 

470. XXXI. The nominative is elegantly placed after 
the verb, but more so in books than in conversation. 
"Many thought," &c. (Credevano molti, &c.) 

471. XXXII. Per essere means sometimes "if it is." 
" A jest, if it is made at an improper time, may become an 
offence " [una burla per essere detta fuori di tempo, pud 
diventare una offesa). 

472. XXXIII, Egli la mandb pregando is the same 
as Egli la mandb a pregare (he sent to beg her). 

473. XXXIV. Collo studiare simpara, s'annegb in 
traversare un fiume (by studying one learns, he was 
drowned in crossing a river). Observe, con expresses 
the means by which a thing is done, in the manner, the 
time of an action. 

474. XXXV. Andare may be used for essere ; thus, 
Andate cauti nel giudicare (be cautious in judging). 

475. XXXVI. Andare is used for essere in such sen- 
tences as these : " He is subject to the gout" (va soggetto 
alia podagra). 

476. XXXVII. Parlato che ebbe is better and more 
elegant than quando e6be parlato, or dopo che ebbe parlato 
(when he had spoken, or after he had spoken). 



104 PECULIARITIES IN THE USE OF THE VERBS. 

477. XXXVIII. " I heard him singing," should be 
translated by Vho sentito cantare. 

478. XXXIX. " If he thinks that it is necessary for 
him to go there, I cannot help it." The literal transla- 
tion is, se crede che sia necessario per lui di andarvi, non 
so che farci ; but Italian writers would prefer saying, 
se crede essere necessario (to be necessary), &c, a con- 
struction imitated from the Latin. 

479. XL. When a verb is followed by a subjunctive 
which governs a pronominal particle, the latter may either 
be joined to the infinitive or placed before the first verb, 
" I do not wish to see him," may be translated by non lo 
voglio vedere, or nol voglio vedere, or non voglio vederlo. 

480. XLI. Where of two verbs the student is uncer- 
tain to which he ought to apply the pronominal particle, 
it will be safer to apply it to the first. 

481. XLII. Lasciare takes no preposition when it 
means " to allow." "Allow me to speak" (lasciatemi par- 
lare). It takes di when it means to cease. " She did not 
leave off laughing all that day" (non lascib di ridere tutto 
quel giomo). 

482. XLIII. Some of the verbs that govern an infinitive 
without a preposition are, dovere (to be incumbent), fare 
(to do), potere (to be able), bisognare (to need), volere 
(to be willing), vedere (to see), udire (to hear), sentire 
(to feel), mirare (to behold), guardare (to look), ascoltare 
(to listen), intendere (to understand), &c. 

483. XLIY. Verrb, verrai, verrd, &c, is the future 
of venire (to come), not of vedere (to see). 

484. XLY. Accostare means "to approach," not "to 
accost." 

485. XLVI. Though sortire is' used even by Italians 
instead of uscire (go out), it should be avoided. Sortire 
means to draw out, or to come out by lot or chance. 



PECULIARITIES IN THE USE OF THE VERBS. 105 

486. XLVII. " Will you have" is translated by volete. 
" Will you have a knife?" (volete un coltello ?) 

487. XL VIII. A preposition in Italian is always fol- 
lowed by an infinitive, never by a present participle. 
u I am afraid of losing" (temo di perdere). 

488. XLIX. Verbs having a preposition prefixed to 
them, as addurre (to convey), congratidarsi (to congratu- 
late), incorrere (to run into), frammettersi (to interpose), 
are generally followed by the same preposition. Mi con- 
gratulo con voi (I congratulate you). 

489. L, Pensare (to think), followed by a noun or 
pronoun, takes after it the preposition a. "I think of her ' ' 
(penso a lei)] when followed by an infinitive it takes di. 
f I think of going there " (penso di andarvi). 

490. LI. " To think " is very frequently used in Eng- 
lish, but sometimes it may be entirely omitted in Italian, 
as the phrase may be perfectly clear without it. 

491. LII. "To think" is only translated by pensare 
when used in its literal meaning ; when it means " to be- 
lieve," we should employ credere. 

492. LIIL It will be better in many cases not to 
translate "to think" by credere, but by sperare (to hope), 
or temere (to fear), according as the sense may suggest. 

493. LIV. " See that man holding a knife " should be 
translated by vedete quelV uomo che tiene un coltello, 
and not tenendo un coltello. 

494. LV. The imperfect of the verbs in ere and ire 
often lose the v in poetry, as credea, credeano ; sentia, 
sentiano ; instead oicredeva, credevano; sentiva, sentivano. 

495. LVI. The conditional of amerebbe, crederebbe, 
sentirebbe, is changed in poetry into ameria, crederia, 
sentiria. 



PART IV. 

ON THE ITALIAN VERBS. 



PABT IV. 

ON THE ITALIAN VERBS. 

Conjugation of the verbs Essere, to be ; Avere, to have. 

INFINITIVE. 

Essere, to be. Avere, to have. 



PRESENT PARTICIPLE. 



Essendo, being. 



Ave ?ido, having. 



PAST PARTICIPLE. 

Stato, been. Avuto, had. 





INDICATIVE MOOD. 




PRESENT. 




Sono, I am. 




Ho, I have. 


Sei, 




Hai, 


E, 




Ha, 


Siamo, 




Abbiamo, 


Siete, 




Avete, 


So no, 




Hanno, 




IMPERFECT. 


Era, I was. 




Aveva, I had 


Eri, 




Avevi, 


Era, 




Aveva, 


Eravamo, 




Avevamo, 


Eravate, 




Avevate, 


Erano, 




Avevano, 



110 



VERBS. 







PERFECT. . 


Fui, I was. 




Ebbi, I had. 


Fosti, 




Avestiy 


Fu. 




Ebbe, 


Fummo, 




Avemmo, 


Foste, 




A vest e, 


Furono, 




Ebbero, 

FUTURE. 


Sard, I shall or 


will be. 


Avrb, I shall or will have 


Sarai, 




Avrai, 


Sard, 




Avrd, 


Saremo, 




Avremo, 


Sarete, 




Avrete, 


Saranno, 




Avranno, 



CONDITIONAL MOOD* 

Sarei, I should or would be. Avrei, I should or would have* 

Saresti, Avresti, 

Sarebbe, Avrebbe, 

Saremrno, Avremmo, 

Sareste, Avreste, 

Sar ebbero, Avr ebbero, 

IMPERATIVE MOOD. 



Sii, be. 






Abbi, have. 






Sia, 






Abbia, 






Siamo, 






Abbiamo, 






Siate, 






Abbiate, 






Siano* 






Abbiano, 










CONJUNCTIVE MOOD. 






Che sia, that I 


may 


be. 


Che abbia, that I 


may 


have 


Che sia, 






Che abbia or abbi, 






Che sia, 






Che abbia, 






Che siamo, 






Che abbiamo, 






Che siate, 






Che abbiate. 






Ghe sianOz 






Che abbiano^ 







VERBS, 



111 



IMPERFECT. 



Chefossi, that I might be. 

Chefossi, 

Che fosse, 

Chefbssimo, 

Chefoste, 

Che fbssero, 



Che avessi, that I might have. 

Che avessi, 

Che avesse, 

Che avessimo, 

Che aveste, 

Che avessero, 



Compounds of the verb Essere. Compounds of the verb Avere-. 



Essere stato, to have been. Es- 
sendo stato, having been, &c. 
Sono stato, &c, I have been, 
&c. Era stato, &e. ? I had 
been, &c. Fui stato. &c., I 
had been, &c. Sard stato, 
&c, I shall or will have 
been, &c. Sarei stato, &c, 
I might have been, &c. Sii 
stato, &c, have been, &c. 
Che sia stato, &c, that I may 
have been, &c. Che fossi 
stato, &c, that I might have 
been, &c. 



Avere avuto, to have had. A- 
vendo avuto, having had. 
Ho avuto, &c, I have had, 
&c. Aver a avuto, &c, I 
had had, &c. Ebbi avuto, 
&e., I had had, &c. Avro 
avuto, &c, I shall or will 
have had, &c. Avrei avuto, 
&c, I might have had, &c. 
Abbi avuto, &c, have had, 
&c. Che dbbia avuto, &c, 
that I may have had, &c. 
Che avesti avuto, &c, that 
I might have had, &c. 





CONJUGATIONS. 






OF REGULAR VERBS. 






INFINITIVE. 




Cantare, 
to sing. 


Credere, 
to believe. 

PRESENT PARTICIPLE. 


Sentire, 

to feel. 


Cantando, 
singing. 


Credendo, 
believing. 


Sentendo, 
feeling. 



112 



VERBS. 





PAST PARTICIPLE. 




Cantato, 


Creduto, 


Sentito, 


sung. 


believed. 

INDICATIVE MOOD 
PRESENT. 


felt. 


Canto, 


Credo, 


Sento, 


I sing. 


I believe. 


I feel. 


Canti, 


Credi, 


Senti, 


Canta, 


Crede, 


Sente, 


Cantiamo, 


Crediamo, 


Sentiamo, 


Cant ate, 


Credete, 


Sentite, 


Cdntano, 


Credono, 

IMPERFECT. 


Sentono, 


Cantava, I sung or 


Credeva, I believed 


Sentiva, I fe 


was singing. 


or was believing. 


was feeling 


Cantavi, 


Credevi, 


Sentivi, 


Cantava, 


Credeva, 


Sentiva, 


Cantavamo, 


Credevamo, 


Sentivamo, 


Cantavate, 


Credevate, 


Sentivate, 


Cantavano, 


Credevano, 

PERFECT. 


Sentwano, 


Cantai, 


Credei, 


Sentii, 


I sung. 


I believed. 


I felt. 


Cantasti, 


Credesti, 


Sentisti, 


Canto, 


Crede, 


Sentt, 


Cantammo, 


Credemmo, 


Sentimmo, 


Cantaste, 


Credeste, 


Sentiste, 


Cantdrono, 


Crederono, 

FUTURE. 


Sentirono, 


Canterb, 


Crederb, 


Sentirb, 


I shall sing. 


I shall believe. 


I shall feel. 


Canterai, 


Crederai, 


Sentirai, 


Canter a, 


Crederd 


Sentiva, 


Canteremo, 


Crederemo, 


Sentiremo, 


Canterete, 


Crederete, 


Sentirete, 


Canteranno, 


Crederanno, 


Sentiranno, 



felt or 



VERBS. 



113 



Canterei, 

I should sing. 

Canteresti, 

Canterebbe, 

Canteremmo, 

Cantereste, 

Canter ebbero, 



CONDITIONAL MOOD. 

Crederei, 

I should believe. 

Crederesti, 

Crederebbe, 

Crederemmo, 

Credereste, 

Crederebbero, 



Sentirei, 

I should feel. 

Seniiresti, 

Sentirebbe, 

Sentiremmo, 

Sentireste, 

Sentirebbero, 



IMPERATIVE MOOD. 



Canta, sing. 


Credi, believe. 


Senti, feel. 


Canti, 


Creda, 


Senta, 


Cantiamo, 


Crediamo, 


Sentiamo, 


Cantate, 


Credete, 


Sentite, 


Cdntino, 


Credano, 


Sentano, 



CONJUNCTIVE MOOD. 



Che canti, that I 

may sing. 
Che canti, 
Che canti, 
Che cantiamo, 
Che cantiate, 
Che cdntino. 



Che cantassi, 
that I sung. 
Che cantassi, 
Che cantasse, 
Che cantdssimo, 
Che cantaste, 
Che cantassero. 



Che creda, that I 

may believe. 
Che creda, 
Che creda, 
Che crediamo, 
Che crediate, 
Che credano, 

IMPERFECT. 

Che credessi, 
that I believed. 
Che credessi, 
Che credesse, 
Che credessimo, 
Che credeste, 
Che credessero, 



Che senta, that I 

may feel. 
Che senta, 
Che senta, 
Che sentiamo, 
Che sentiate, 
Che sentano, 



Che sentissi, 
that I felt. 
Che sentissi, 
Che sentisse, 
Che sentissimo, 
Che sentiste, 
Che sentissero, 



114 IRREGULAR VERBS. 



COMPOUNDS OF THESE VERBS. 



Avere cantato, creduto, sentito, to have sung, believed, felt. 
Ho cantato, creduto, sentito, I have sung, believed, felt, &c. 
All the other tenses are composed in the same manner. 



IRREGULAR VERBS. 

FIRST CONJUGATION. 

These are four only : — Andare, dare, fare, stare. 

Andare, to go. Andando, going. Andato, gone. 

Vo or vado, I go ; vai, va, andiamo, andate, vanno. Andava, 
I was going, &c. Andai, I went, &c. Andrb, I shall go, &c. 
Andrei, I should go, &c. Va, go, vada, andiamo, andate, 
vddano. Che vada, that I may go, &c. Che andassi, that I 
might go, &c. 

Bare, to give. Dando, giving. Dato, given. 

Do, I give ; dai, da, diamo, date, danno. Dava, I was giving, 
&c. Diede or detti, I gave ; desti, diede or dette, demmo, deste, 
diedero or dettero. Darb, I shall give, &c. Darei, I should 
give, &c. Da, give ; dia, diamo, date, diano. Che dia, that 
I may give, &c. Che dessi, that I might give, &c. 

Fare, to do. Facendo, doing. Fatto, done. 

Fo, I do ; fai, fa, facciamo, fate, fanno. Faceva, I was 
doing, &c. Feci, I did; facesti,fece,facemmo,faceste,fecero. 
Faro, I shall do, &c. Farei, I should do, &c. Fa, do ; 
fdccia, facciamo, fate, facciano. Che faccia, that I may do, 
&c. Chefacessi, that I might do, &c. 

Stare, to stand. Stando, standing. Stato, stood. 

Sto, I stand ; stai, sta, stiamo, state, stanno. Stava. Stetti, 
I stood; stesti, stette, stemmo, steste, stettero. Starb. Starei. 
Sta, stia, stiamo, state, stiano, Che stia. Che stessi. 



IRREGULAR VERBS. 



115 



SECOND CONJUGATION. 

Here are two classes of verbs, those which have the accent 
on the antepenultimate, and those on the penultimate vowel. 
The first have only the perfect and past participle irreg- 
ular, and sometimes only the one j 1 whilst the others have 
various irregularities, except persuadere and solere, which 
have only these irregular forms, per 'suasi, per 'suaso, sblito. 

VERBS OF THE FIRST CLASS. 



Tor 


cere, 


to twist. 


tor 


si 


tor to. 


Ucci 


dere, 


to kill. 


ucci 


si 


ucciso. 2 


Accor 

Fri 

Co 

Distin 

M 


gere y 

ggere, 

gliere, 

guere, 

ettere, 


to perceive, 
to fry. 
to gather. 
to distinguish, 
to put. 


accor 
fri 

CO 

distin 
m 


si 

ssi 

Isi 

si 

isi 


accorto? 

fritto. 
colto. 
distinto. 
rnesso. A 


Pr 


emere, 


to press. 


pr 


essi 


presso. 


Espr 
Acce 


tmere, 
ndere, 


to express, 
to kindle. 


espr 
acce 


essi 
si 


espresso. 5 
acceso. 6 


Ass 


ohere, 


to absolve. 


ass 


olsi 


assoltoJ 


Corr 


bmpere, 


to corrupt. 


corr 


uppi 


corrotto. 


Cor 


rere, 


to run. 


cor 


si 


corso. 


Cono 


scere, 


to know. 


cono 


bbi 


conosciuto. 


Discu 


tere, 


to discuss. 


discu 


ssi 


discusso. 


Pres 
C 


umere, 
ubcere, 


to presume, 
to cook. 


pres 
c 


unsi 

ossi 


presunto. 
cotto. 8 


Perc 

Comm 


ubtere, 
ubvere, 


to strike, 
to shake. 


perc 
comm 


ossi 
ossi 


percosso. 
commosso. 


Vi 


vere, 


to live. 


vi 


ssi 


vissuto. 


Nascere, to be born, makes ndcqui, nato ; and piovere, to 


rain, piovve. 











1 These verbs and their compounds are excepted :—Battere, 
capere, credere, emjnere, esigere,fendere,fr emere, gemere, mietere, 
mescere, pascere, pendere, perdere, prescindere, ricevere, reslstere, 
riflettere^ ripetere, scernere, solvere, spandere, splendere, spremere, 
strldere, succombere, suggere, fonder e, vendere. 

2 Cedere : cessi or cedetti ; cesso or ceduto. 

3 Dirigere: essi, etto. Esigere : ei, esatto. Cingere : nsi, into. 
Negligere : essi, etto. 

4 Flettere : flessi,Jlesso. 5 Espellere : ulsi. ulso. 

6 Fonder e: fusi,fuso. 

7 Also assoluto. Solvere : ei etti ; uto. Involvero, involto. 

8 Nucocere : ndcqui, nociuto. 



116 IRREGULAR VERBS. 



I. — Condurre for Conducere, to lead. 

Pres. part. Conducendo, leading. 
Past part. Condotto, led. 

Conduco, I lead. Conduceva, I was leading. Condussi, I 
led. Gondurrhy I shall lead. Condurrei, I should lead. Con- 
duciy lead, conduca, &c. * Che conducessi, that I might lead. 

II. — Bevere, or contracted, Bere, to drink. 

This verb is regular, except that we may say bevo or beo ; 
beveva or beeva, &c. Of the three forms of the perfect the 
first is in greatest use : bevvi, bevei, or bevetti. 

III. — Cadere, to fall. 

* * * Caddi, I fell. Caderb or cadrb, I shall fall. Caderei 
or cadrei, I should fall. * * * 

IV. — Chiedere, to ask. 

Past part. Chiesto, asked. 

Chiedo or chieggo, I ask, &c. ; chiedono or chieggono, they 
ask. * Chiesi, I asked. * * Chieda or chiegga, let him ask ; 
chiedano or chieggano, let them ask. 

V. — Dire, for Dicer e, to say. 

Pres. part. Dicendo, saying. 
Past part. Detto, said. 

Dico, I say ; diet (or di') dice, diciamo, dite, dicono. Diceva, 
I was saying. Dissi, I said. Dirb, I shall say. Direi, I 

1 The irregular forms alone are given. 

The second person singular in the Subjunctive has two forms : che 
creda or credi. 

The asterisk (*) denotes the regular tenses, or those which the 
pupil should form according to the above rules. 



IRREGULAR VERBS. 117 

should say. Di\ say ; dica, &c. * Che dicessi, that I might 
say. 

VI. — Dolere (si), to complain. 

* Mi dolgo or doglio, I complain ; ti duoli, si duole, ci do- 
gliamo, vi dolete, &c. * Mi dolsi, I complained. Mi dorrb, 
I shall complain. Mi dorm, I should complain. Dubliti, 
complain ; dolgasi or dogliasi, &c. * * 



VII. — Dovere, to owe. 

Debbo or deggio, I owe ; dei, dee, or debbe, dobbiamo, &c. * * 
Dovrb, I shall owe. Dovrei, I should owe. Che debba, that 
I may owe, &c. ; dobbiamo, dobbiate, debbano. * 

VIII. — Nuocere, to hurt. 

Part. pres. Nocendo, hurting. 
Part, past, Nociuto, hurt. 

Nuoco or noccio, I hurt. ; nuoci, nuoce, nocciamo, nocete, &c. 
Noceva, I was hurting. Nbequi, I hurt. Nocerb, I shall hurt. 
Nocerei, I should hurt. Nuoci, hurt ; nubccia or noccia, &c. 

IX. — Par ere, to appear. 
Past part. Paruto or par so, appeared. 

Paio, I appear ; pan, pare, paiamo, parete, paiono. Parvi, 
I appeared. Parrb, I shall appear. Parrei, I should appear. 
Pari, appear ; paia, paiano, parete, paiano, 

X. — Piacere, to please. 

Past part. Piaciuto, pleased. 

Pidccio, I please ; piaci, &c. Piacqui, I pleased. * Piaci, 
please ; piaccia, &c. * * So also the verb Giacere. 



118 IRREGULAR VERBS. 

XI. — Porre for Ponere, to put. 

Part, present, Ponendo, putting. 
Part, past, Posto, put. 

Pongo, I put ; poni, pone, poniamo, ponete, pbngono. Po- 
neva, I was putting. Posi, I put. Porrb, I shall put. Porrei, 
I should put. Poni, put ; ponga, &c. * * 

XII. — Potere, to be able. 

Posso, I can ; puoi, pub, possiamo, potete, possono. * * 
Potrb, I shall be able. Potrei, I should be able. Che possa, 
that I might be able, &c. 

XIII. — Rimanere, to stay. 

Past part. Rimaso or rimasto, stayed. 

Rimango, I stay ; rimani, rimane, &c. * Rimasi, I stayed. 
Rimarrb, I shall stay. Rimarrei, I should stay. Rimani, 
stay ; rimanga, &c. 

XIV. — Sapere, to know. 

So, I know ; sai, sa, sappiamo, sapete, sanno. * Seppi, I 
knew. Saprb, I shall know. Saprei, I should know. Sappi, 
know ; sappia, sappiamo, sappiate, sappiano, &c. 

XV. — Scegliere or Scerre, to choose. 

Past part. sce/fo, chosen. 

Scelgo or sceglio, I choose. * Scelsi, I chose. * * Scegli, 
choose ; sc%a or sceglia, &c. 

XVI. — Sedere, to sit. 

$«<?£?* or $e#</0 ? I sit ; siedi, siede, sediamo or seggiamo, sedete, 
& c> * * •«■ * siedi, sit ; sMa or segga, &c. 



IRREGULAR VERBS. 119 

XVII. — Svellere, to tear away. 
Past part. Svelto, torn away. 

Svelgo or svello, 1 tear ; svelli, svelte or sveglie, &c. * Svelsi, 
I tore. * * * Svelli, tear ; svella or svelga, &c. * * 

XVIII. — Tacere, to be silent. 
Past part. Taciuto, silent. 

Tacio, I am silent ; taci> &c. * Tdcqui, I was silent. * * 
Taci, be silent ; taccia, &c. 

XIX.— Tenere, to hold. 

Tengo, I hold ; ft'em, tfewe, &c. * Tenrri, I held. Terro, I 
shall hold. Terrei, I should hold. Tiewi, hold ; tenga, &c. 

XX. — Togliere or Torre, to take away. 

Past part. To/ft), taken away. 

Toglio or ft>4/o, I take away ; togli, toglie, &c. * Tolsi, I 
took away. Toglierb or fowd, I shall take away. Toglierei or 
torrei, I should take away. Togli, take away ; to##a or tolga, 
&c. 

XXI. — Traere or Trarre, to draw. 

Part, present, Traendo, drawing. 
Part, past, Tratto, drawn. 

Traggo, I draw ; trai, trae, traiamo, or traggiamo, &c. * 
Trassi, I drew. Trarrb, I shall draw. Trarrei, I should draw.- 
SVat, draw ; tragga, &c. 

XXII. — Valere, to be worth. 

Fa/gro or vdglio, I am worth ; va/i, *;a/e, vagliamo, &c. * 
Pa&t, I was worth. Varrb, I shall be worth. Varrei, I should 
be worth. Pa/t ; be worth ; valga or vaglia, &c. 



120 IRREGULAR VERBS. 

XXIII. — Vedere, to see. 

Vedo or veggo or veggio, I see, &c. ; vediamo or veggiamo, &c. * 
Fitfi, I saw. Vedrb, I shall see. Vedrei, I should see. Fedi, 
see ; veda or ve##a or veggia, &c. 

XXIV. — Volere, to be willing. 

Voglio or wo', I am willing ; vuoi, vuole or wwo', vogliamo, 
volete, vogliono. * Fo/Zi, I was willing. Vorrb, I shall be 
willing. Vorrei, I should be willing. Che voglia, that I may 
be willing. 



IRREGULAR VERBS OF THE THIRD CONJUGATION. 

All these verbs are conjugated like Unire, which is 
irregular only in the present of the Indicative, Imperative, 
and Subjunctive, except the first and second persons plural. 

Pres. Ind. — Unisco, unisci, unisce, unzscono, I unite, 

&c. 

Imperat. — Urizsci, unisca, uniscano. 

Subj. — Che unisca^ unisca or unischi, unisca, uni- 
scano. 

The verb Apparire has the two forms, apparisce or appare, 
appariscono or appaiono ; so also have Aprire, Coprire, and 
Scoprire, as aprii, and apersi, &c. 

Some of these verbs in the present Indicative, Impera- 
tive, or Subjunctive, have two forms; thus, Abborrire 
makes abborrisco or abborro, &c. Their use can be learned 
only by practice. 

The following verbs of this conjugation have some 
peculiar irregularities. 

I. — Morire, to die. 

Past part. Morto, dead. 

Muoio, I die ; muori, muore, moiamo, morite, muoiono. * * 



IRREGULAR VERBS. 121 

Morrb, I shall die. Morrei, I should die. Muori, die ; muoia, 
&c. 

II. — Salire, to ascend. 

Salgo, I ascend, &c. ; sagliamo, &e. * * * * Sali, 
ascend ; saiga, sagliamo, &c. 

III. — Seguire, to follow. 

Seguo or sieguo, I follow ; segui or siegui, segue or siegue, 
&c. * * * Segui, follow; segua,8zc. Che segua or siegua, 
that I may follow ; seguano. 

IV. — Udire, to hear. 
Odo, I hear ; odi, ode, &c. * * * * Cdi, hear ; 6da, &c. 

V. — V r scire, to go out. 

A A 

Esco, I go out ; esci, esce, &c. * * * * Esci, go out ; 
esca, &c. 

VI. — Venire, to come. 

Vengo, I come ; vtem, viene, &c. * Fe7Z7?i, I came. Verro, 
I shall come. Verrei, I should come. Vieni, come ; venga, 
let him come, &c. 



DEFECTIVE VERBS. 

I. Inf. Gire, to go. Past part. Gito, gone. 

Pres. ind. Gite, you go 

Imp erf. Giua or gia, givi, giva or gia; givamo,givate, givano, 
or giano. 

Perfect. — Gisti, g\ or g\o; gimmo, giste, girono. 

Future. Giro, — gird; giremo, girete, giranno, 

Condit. Girei, I should go, &c. 

Imperat. Gite, go, &c. 

Imperf. subj. Gissi, that I might go, &c. 

H 



122 DEFECTIVE VERBS. 



II. — Inf. Ire> to go. Past part. Ito, gone. 

Pres. Ite, you go. 

Imperf. Iva, he was going ; ivano, they were going. 
Fut. Iremo, we shall go ; irete, iranno. 
Imperat. Ite, go. 

III. — Riedere, to return. 

Pres. Riedi, thou returnest ; riede, he returns. 
Imperat. Riedano, let them return. 

IV. — Olire, to smell good. 
Imperf. Oliva, olivi, oliva, &c, olivano. 

V. — Calere, to care for, or mind. 

Past part. Caluto, cared for. { 

Pres. Mi cale, I care for. 
Imperf. Mi caleva, I was caring for. 
Perf. Mi calse, I cared for, &c. 

VI. — Solere, to he wont, to he accustomed. 

Part. pres. Solendo, heing accustomed. 

Past part. Solito, accustomed. 

Pres. Soglio, suoli or suo% suole ; sogliamo, solete, sogliono. 

Comp. perf. Fui solito, I had been accustomed, &c. 

Imperf. Soleva, I was accustomed. 

Pres. suhj. Che soglia, that I may he accustomed, &c. 

Imp. suhj. Che solessi, that I might be accustomed, &c. 



123 



LIST OF VERBS CONJUGATED LIKE Unire* 



Abbellire, to embellish. 

abbonire, to render good. 

abbronzire, to become dark. 

abbrostire, to toast. 

abbrostolire, to toast. 

abbruttire, to become ugly. 

abolh'e, to abolish. 

accalori?-e, to heat. 

accolorire, to colour. 

accudire, to attend. 

acetire, to become sour. 

addolcire, to sweeten. 

aderire, to adhere. 

affievolire, to weaken. 

affortire* to strengthen. 

affralire, to become frail. 

aggentilire, to become noble 
or gentle. 

aggradire, to please or be 
pleased. 

aggrandire, to become great. 

agguerrire, to become war- 
like or fit for war. 

alleggerire, to lighten. 

allenire, to soften, to allay. 

allcstire, to get ready. 

amarire, to embitter. 

ambire, to aspire. 

ammanire, to get ready. 

ammansire, to tame. 

ammattire, to go distracted. 



ammollire, to mollify. 

ammonire, to admonish. 

ammorbidire^ to soften. 

ammortire, to quench. 

ammutire, to become dumb. 

ammutolire, to become dumb. 

anneghittire, to grow lazy. 

annei'ire, to blacken. 

annichilire, to annihilate. 

appassire, to wither. 

appetire, to covet. 

appiccinire, to diminish. 

appigrire, to become lazy. 

arricchire, to grow rich. 

arrossire, to blush, become 
red. 
j arrostire, to roast. 
I arrozzire, to make rough. 
; arruginire, to grow rusty. 
i asserire, to assert. 
| assordire, to deafen. 
| assortire, to sort. 
j assoggettire, to subject. 

after rive, to frighten. 

attribuire, to attribute. 

attristire, to grieve. 

attutire, to blunt. 

avvilire, to vilify. 

awizzire. to fade away. 

bandire, to proclaim. 

blatidire, to flatter. 



* The student before using any verbs in ire should consult this 
table to see if they be not conjugated like unire. 



124 



LIST OF VERBS CONJUGATED LIKE UYlire. 



brandire, to brandish. 
brunire, to burnish. 
candire, to preserve, as in 

conserves. 
chiarire, to clear up. 
circuire, to go round. 
colorire, to colour. 
colpire, to strike. 
concepire, to conceive. 
condire, to season. 
conferire, to confer. 
construire, to construct. 
contribuire, to contribute. 
contrive, to make penitent. 
costituire, to constitute. 
costruire, to construct. 
custodire, to guard. 
defer ire, to defer. 
definire, to define. 
demolire, to demolish. 
differire, to defer. 
diffinire, to define. 
digerire, to digest. 
disasprire, to allay. 
diseppellire, to unbury. 
disfavorire, to be against one. 
disfinire, to cease. 
disfornire, to unfurnish. 
disghiottire, to sob. 
disgradire, to slight. 
disimpedire, not to hinder. 
dispartire, to part. 
disruvidire, to smooth. 
distribuire, to distribute. 
disubbidire, to disobey. 
disvigorire, to weaken. 
disunire, to disunite. 
erudire, to instruct 



esaurire, to exhaust. 

eribire, to exhibit. 

esinanire, to annihilate. 

espedire, to dispatch. 

fallire, to fail. 

fastidire, to loathe. 

favorire, to favour. 

finire, to finish. 

fiorire, to flower. 

fluire, to flow. 

fornire, to furnish. 

garantire, to warrant. 

gestire, to gesticulate. 

ghermire, to lay hold of. 

gioire, to rejoice. 

gradire, to accept with plea- 
sure. 

grancire, to hook. 

granire, to seed. 

gremire 9 to seize with violence. 

grugnire, to grunt. 

guaire, to wail. 

gualcire, to handle. 

guarire, to recover one's 
health. 

guarnire, to trim. 

illardire, to lard. 

illanguidire, to languish. 

illiquidire, to turn liquid. 

imbaldanzire, to embolden. 

imbaldire, to embolden. 

imbandire, to get a great din- 
ner ready. 

imbarberire, to grow cruel. 

iynbarbogire, to dote through 
old age. 

imbastardire, to degenerate. 

imbastire, to baste. 



LIST OF VERBS CONJUGATED LIKE unire. 



125 



imbellire, to embellish. 

imbestialire, to grow mad or 
cruel. 

imbianchire, to whiten. 

imbiondire, to grow fair. 

imbizzarrire, to fall into a 
violent passion. 

imbolsire, to grow pursy. 

imbonire, to appease. 

imbottire, to quilt. 

imbozzacchire, not to thrive. 

imbricconire, to grow knavish. 

imbrunire, to grow brown. 

imbruschire, to grow sour. 

imbruttire, to become ugly. 

immagrire, to become lean. 

immakagire, to become 
wicked. 

immarcire, to rot. 

impadronire, to become mas- 
ter of. 

impallidire, to turn pale. 

impaurire, to frighten. 

impazientire, to be impatient. 

impedire, to hinder. 

impervertire, to prevent. 

impiccolire, to become small. 

impigrire, to become lazy. 

impoltronire, to become lazy. 

imporrire, to rotten. 

impostemire, to posthumate. 

impoverire, to grow poor. 

improsperire, to grow pros- 
perous. 

imputridire, to putrefy. 

inacerbire, to grow cruel. 

inacetire, to grow sour. 

inacutire, to make sharp. 



inalidire, to become dry. 

inanimire, to encourage. 

inaridire, to dry or become 
dry. 

inasinire, to become stupid, 
like an ass. 

inasprire, to exasperate. 

inavarire, to become a miser. 

incagnire, to become surly, 
like a dog. 

incallire, to grow callous. 

incalvire, to become bald. 

incanutire, to become white, 
to grow old. 

incaparbire, to be obstinate. 

incapocchire, to cover with 
a hood. 

incaponire y to become stub- 
born. 

incapriccire, to become de- 
sirous of any thing. 

incatarrarire, to catch a cold. 

incatoTzolire, spoil by a blast. 

incattivire, to become wicked. 

incenerire, to reduce to ashes. 

incerconire, to turn sour as 
wine does. 

inciprignire, to grow angry. 

incivilire, to grow civil. 

incollorire, to colour. 

incrudelire, to become cruel. 

incrudire, to irritate. 

indebolire, to weaken. 

indolcire, to sweeten. 

indolentire, to benumb. 

indolenzire, to benumb. 

indrudire, to become a lover. 

infarcire, to stuff. 



126 



LIST OF VERBS CONJUGATED LIKE UUire. 



infastidire, to trouble. 

infellonire, to grow cruel. 

infemminire, to become ef- 
feminate. 

inferire y to infer. 

inferocire, to become fierce. 

infervorire, to animate. 

infiacchire, to weaken. 

infievolire, to weaken. 

infingardire, to grow lazy. 

infollire, to grow mad. 

infortire, to strengthen. 

infracidire, to rot. 

infralire, to become weak. 

infrigidire, to become cold. 

ingagliardire, to strengthen. 

ingelosire, to become jealous. 

ingentilire, to become noble. 

inge?'i?-e, to meddle. 

ingiallire, to become yellow. 

ingiovanire, to become young. 

ingrandire, to increase. 

immalinconire, to grow mel- 
ancholy. 

immarcire, to putrefy. 

innacerbire, to exasperate. 

innagrestire, to become sour. 

innanimire, to animate. 

innaridire, to dry. 

innaspri?*e, to exasperate. 

innuzzolire, to awake an ea- 
gerness. 

innorgoglire, to become proud 
of any thing. 

inorridire, to tremble w T ith 
horror. 

inquisire, to accuse. 

irretire, to catch with a net. 



irrigidire, to grow stiff. 

irruginire, to rust. 

insalvatichire>tQ become wild 
or savage. 

insanire, to grow mad. 

inschiavire, to enslave. 

inserire, to insert. 

insignire, to decorate. 

insignorire, to become mas- 
ter of. 

insipidire, to become insipid. 

insolentire,io become insolent. 

insollire, to become soft. 

insordire, to become deaf. 

insospettire, to become sus- 
picious. 

insozzire, to dirty. 

isterilire, to become barren. 

istituire, to institute. 

instruire, to instruct. 

instupidire, to be surprised. 

insuperbire, to become proud. 

intenebrire, to become dark. 

intenerire, to move often. 

in#e/?«d«>e,togrowlukewarm. 

intimidire, to intimidate. 

intimorire, to frighten. 

intirizzire, to grow stiff with 
cold. 

intisichi?'e, to become con- 
sumptive. 

intorbidire, to grow muddy. 

intormentire, to benumb. 

intorpidire, to become sad. 

intristire, to become dull. 

invaghire, to charm. 

invanire, to become vain. 

inveire, to inveigh. 



LIST OF VERBS CONJUGATED LIKE Unite. 



127 



invelenire,to become irritated. 
inverminire, to grow full of 

worms. 
invigorire, to invigorate. 
invilire, to dishearten. 
invincidire, to grow soft. 
inviperire, to rage. 
inviscidire, to become viscid. 
invizzire, to wither. 
inumidire, to moisten. 
involpire, to grow crafty. 
inuzzolire, to awake a desire 

of any thing. 
inzotichire, to become rude. 
irretire, to catch with a net. 
irricchire, to become rich. 
irrigidire, to become stiff. 
irritrosire, to become shy. 
irruginire, to become rusty. 
istituire, to institute. 
itstruire, to instruct. 
largire, to give liberally. 
lenire, to soften. 
nitrire, to neigh. 
obbedire, to obey. 
o/ire, to smell. 
ostruire, to obstruct. 
patire, to vilify again. 
pattuire, to suffer. 
piatire, to bargain. 
polire, to plead. 
poltrire, to polish. 
preferire, to be idle. 
presagire, to prefer. 
preterire, to presage. 
proferire, to prefer. 
progredire, to utter. 
proibire, to progress. 



rabbellire, to prohibit. 
rabbonire> to beautify again. 
raddolcire, to pacify again. 
raggentilire, to sweeten again. 
rammollire y to make noble 

again. 
rammorbidire, to soften again. 
rapire, to soften again. 
rattepidire, to snatch away. 
ravvilire, to cool again. 
ravvincidire, to become soft 

again. 
redarguing to argue against. 
referire, to refer. 
restituire, to restore. 
reverire, to revere. 
riabbcllire, to embellish again. 
riagire, to react. 
riarricchire, to enrich again. 
ribadire, to rivet. 
ribandire, to banish again. 
richiarire, to clear again. 
ricolorire, to colour again. 
riconcepire, to conceive again. 
ricondire, to season again. 
ricostituire, to constitute 

again. 
riferire, to refer again. 
rifiorire, to flourish again. 
rinfronzire, to bring forth 

new leaves. 
ringentilire, to become noble 

again. 
ringioire, to rejoice. 
ringiovanire,to become young 

again. 
7-ingiovialire, to become j o vial 

again. 



128 



LIST OF VERBS CONJUGATED LIKE UUire. 



ringrandire, to become great 

or large again. 
rinsavire, to become wise 

again. 
rinserenire, to become severe 

again. 
rinsignori?*e, to become mas- 
ter again. 
rintenerire,to be moved again. 
rintiepidire, to become cool 

again. 
rinverzire, to become green 

again. 
rinvigorire, to invigorate 

again. 
rinvilire, to vilify again. 
ripulire, to clean again. 
rwarcire, to make good any 

loss. 
risbaldire, to rejoice. 
risquittire, to adjust again 

the feathers to a bird. 
ristecchire, to dry up. 
ristituire, to restore. 
ritribuire, to retribute. 
ritrosire, to become shy. 
riunire, to unite again. 
sbaldanzire, to lose courage. 
sbalordire, to be astonished 

or to astonish. 
sbandire, to banish. 
sbigottire, to despond. 
sbizzarrire, to satisfy our 

whims. 
scalfire, to scarify. 
scarnwe, to love flesh. 
scaturire, to spring. 
schermire, to parry. 



schernire, to ridicule. 
schiarire, to clear. 
schiattire, to yelp. 
schiencire, to avoid. 
sciapidire, to become insipid. 
scipidire, to become insipid. 
scipire, to become insipid. 
scolorire, to discolour. 
semenzire, to grow up in 

seed. 
seppellire, to bury. 
sfavorire, to disfavour. 
sfornire, to unfurnish. 
sgarire, to get the better in 

a dispute. 
sghermire, to let loose. 
sgomentire, to discourage. 
sgradire, to displease. 
smaltire, to digest. 
smarrire, to lose. 
sminuire, to diminish. 
smunire, to reinstate in an 

office. 
sopire, to quiet. 
sostitnire, to substitute. 
spaurire, to frighten. 
spervertire, to pervert. 
spessire, to thicken. 
srugginire, to clean from rust. 
stabilire, to establish. 
starnutire, to sneeze. 
statuire, to resolve. 
stecchire, to become dry. 
sterilire, to become barren. 
stizzire, to be angry. 
s tor dire, to stun. 
stormire, to make a noise. 
stramortire, to swoon. 



LIST OF VERBS CONJUGATED LIKE UmVC. 



129 



stremenzire, to reduce with 

difficulty. 
stupidire, to wonder. 
stupire, to wonder. 
svanire, to vanish. 
sveleni?*e, to lose one's ferocity 
svilire, to become vile. 
supplire, to supply. > 

tradire, to betray. 
traferire, to wound. 



tramortire, to swoon. 

trasferire, to transfer. 

trasgredire, to transgress. 

trasricchire, to become very 
rich. 

vagii*e, to cry as infants. 

ubbidire, to obey. 

usucapire, to acquire the pro- 
perty of any thing by the 
right of use. 



PAET Y. 

EXERCISES. 



PAET V. 

EXERCISES. 
EXERCISE I.f 

ON THE ARTICLES. 

1. 7 have always been curious to learn new things. 
sono sempre stato cwioso [295^ Mender nuova cosa. 

2. || Gold, pearls, tnd rich dresses, showed truly 
oro, perla, — ricco vestimento mostravan veramente 

that she was a lady of distinction. 
che donna * grand'' affare. 

3. Remove from the your mind this sad thought of 
Levatevi da [26] animo questo tristo pensiero * 

death. 
morte. 

2 

4. / have a very great fear of the illusions of the magic 
i Ho grandissima paura [26] inganno [26] magica 

art. 
arte. 

5. These wicked witches sometimes are birds, sometimes 
Questa mahagie strega[15'] ora — uccello, — 

dogs, and a little after mice and flies. 

cane, — poco poi topo — mosca [15]. 

6. His limbs were torn by (the) wild beasts. 
Le sue membra^ — straziate da [24] fiera\jf\. 

+ The pupil must form for himself the plural of the nouns, whose 
singular alone is given. He should also learn to conjugate the re- 
gular verbs from the infinitives given in the text. 

X The numbers within brackets refer to the sections of the Third 
Part. 

|| The definite article should always be placed before a noun in 
the nominative case. 

IT Membra is plural. 

The English words in italics are not to be translated. 

Words under which a dash ( — ) is placed must be rendered into 
Italian either by the help of a dictionary or by what the pupil has 
already learnt. 

The words or phrases under which an asterisk (*) is placed show 
the application of the rules. 



134 EXERCISES. 

7. What dost thou want I Thou hast servants, thou hast 
Che timanca? — — faniiglio, — ■ — 

maids, thou hast gowns of silk of every colour, rings, and 
serva, — — vesta * seta — ogni colore, anello — 
chains of gold, in fact (all) that which thou desirest. 
catena — — in fine cib che vuoi. 

8. The Egyptians wishing to represent a man of deep 

— Egizio volere figurare un uomo * alti 
thought, and given up to the contemplation of (the) 
pensieri — volto [34] contemplazione * 

2 1 

heavenly things, formed an elephant with the trunk turned 
cosa celaste fecevano — elefante [33] grugno rivolto 

upwards; and wishing to signify (the) prudence in the 

insu; — — significar — prudenza [34] 
things of the world, they made a serpent. 
— [33] mondo, Afigurare un serpente. 

9. It is the nature of man to have compassion of (on) 

Umano cosa e aver compassione [35] di 

the afflicted. 
afflitto. 

10. Sorrow is placed at the extremity of (the) pleasure. 
Dolore occupare — estremita * [33] piacere* 

11. The sick were abandoned by (the) neighbours, 

— infermo abbandonare da [35] vicino, 

by (the) relations, and by (the) friends. 
da [35] parente, — da [35] amico. 

12. On the top of this little mountain was a palace with 
Sul colmo — quella wontagnetta un palazzo con 

a fine and large court-yard in the middle, with small fields 
bella — gran corte [33] mezzo — pratello 

2 1 

around, and with wonderful gardens with wells of water 

intorno, — — maraviglioso giardino — pozzo — acqua 

exceedingly fresh, and with cellars full of very precious wine. 

freschzssima, — — volta plena — vino preziosissimo, 

+ The Italian words are a complete translation here, and in all 
similar cases, of all the English words above them which have no 
mark under. 



THE ARTICLES. 135 

13. / have the corn in the granary, and the horse in 

— — grano * granaio — — cavallo — 
the stable. 
* stalla, 

3 1 2 

14. Most (of the) men have (the) pleasure for their aim. 
I piii * uomof — * — per fine. 

15. (The sole) obedience to (the) magistrates governs 

— [106] obbedienza * — magistrato regge 
the world. 

— mondo. 

16. He builds castles in the air. 

Fa castello in aria. 

2 1 

17. The beauty of the person is really a vain thing. 

— bellezza corporate — veramente vana cosa. 

18. The weakness of the body is very often a proof 

* debolezza * corpo — le piu volte argomento 
of the strength of the mind. 
forza sp\rito. 

19. Abstinence is the mother of health. 
Astinenza — madre — sanita. 

20. The abundance of (the) dishes corrupts the body 

— larghezza * vicanda corrbmpere — — 
and the soul. 

— — anima. 

21. God and truth will fight for me. 
Iddio — — prendere Varme 

22. They died not as men but as beasts. 

§Morire — — 

23. The countenance is the mirror of the soul, and the 

— faccia — [26] specchio * — — — — 
eyes declare the secrets of the heart. 

occhio [10] mostrare — segreto * cuore. 

+ The plural of uomo is uomini. 

§ Infinitives having this sign should be put in the imperfect in- 
dicative. 



136 EXERCISES. 

24. The study of Dante excites the heart to (the) virtue. 

— studio di Dante accendere — — — — 

2 3 1 

25. It is the property of a great and good mind not 
Questo e prbprio — grande e buono dnimo * 

to seek for the reward of (the) benefits, but to seek to 
[39] cercare — frutto * oenefizio, ma [39] 

confer them. 
di farli. 

EXERCISE II. 

ON THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 

1. J thank you for your offer. 

ringraziare [85] della vostra offerta. 

2. I assure you that I will not depart (myself) from 

— promettere [85] — — partire * 
the truth. 

— veritd, 

3. Let us quit (the) jokes ; tell me, I beg of you, 
Lasciamo andar — ciancia; dite[86~] pregarevene[%5~\ 

who you are, and where you live. 
chi — — — dove state a casa. 

4. Thou shalt not ruin thyself alone, but me with thee. 

— — ruinare [85] sola, ma [85] con — 

2 1 

5. I do not understand their language, and / do not care 

— — intendere illoro parlar, — — curare 
(myself) about it. 

[90] ne. 

6. Tell me the cause for which thou art so angry. 

Di [97] — cagione per die — — s\ in cotter a, 

7. Is it to me that thou hast given the gown with the other 

A me hai dato — — — — altra 

things \ 
cosa ? 



PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 137 

2 1 

8. You will not restore it to me. 

volete — rendere — [90] 

9. I am not anxious (of) to know thee. 
— non mi euro di conoscere [87]. 

10. It is the first time that you have seen me. 

prima volta die — — vedere — 

11. Command me freely in all your necessities. 
Comandate[8&] liber amente — tutta lavostraoccorrenza. 

12. I parted from you very discontented, and lamenting 

Partire da voi molto scontento, — dolere[S&] 
(myself) also my fate. 
* ancora delta mia surte. 

13. J give thee (the) permission to do it. 

Dare * — licenza ne. 

14. Do to me that which thou desirest. 
Fare [97] quel che — vuoi. 

15. Thou canst believe thyself one of us. 

Puoi credere — uno — — 

16. You ought to please (to) everyone, although few please 

— dovete piacere * ognuno, sebben pochi piacciano 
(to) you. 
* [85] 

17. Beware (yourselves) (from the) of flatterers. 
Guardare — adulatore, 

18. Let us see that as you know how to conquer (the) 
Fare * vedere — come sapere vincere * 

others, so you know how to conquer yourself. 
altro, cost — — — [85] medesimo. 

19. Believe what pleases you (you please), as for me I say 
Credere che piacere, — io per me dico 

it for good. 
— per bene. 



138 EXERCISES. 

20. / tell you that I am not acquainted with you, and 1 

Dico — — — conbscere — — 

know not who you are. 
so — chi — siate. 

21. If you loved me as I love you, you would not re- 
Se amaste * com? — — re- 
fuse it me. 
gave [424] — * 

22. Help me, I pray you (of it). 
Aiutare * — * pregare — ne. 

23. I come (for) to entreat you, (in order) that you would 

Vengo per pregare * affinche mode- 

restrain yourself in the passion that transports you. 
rare — — - — passione che trasportare. — 

24. Here I am, what do you command me 1 
[88] * [211] comandare — f 



EXERCISE IH.f 
ON ST, &c. 

1. In compensation of [for) so troublesome an affair, they 
Per guider done — cost faticosa faccenda [102] 

2 1 

never give more than the worth of six crowns. 
mai J dare piu che — valor e — sei scudi, 

2. One can only lose. 
[102] pud se non perdere. 

3. What are they doing I Where are they going \ 
Che [102] — Dove * va 

4t, I wish to go and see what they do there. 
Vbglio andare a vedere quel che [102] — [364] 

f For the rules on si, &c, see pronominal particles, pages 54 & 55. 

X When a negative follows the verb, the word non is always placed 

before the verb. 



ON THE USE OF SI AND SE. 139 

5. It is here that we have made the acquisition of the 

Qui — — acquisto — — ■ 

picture which is sent you. 
quadro — [101] mandare * 

6. Men do not talk of any thing (men talk of nothing} but 

* parlare oValtro che 

of peace. 
I pace. 

2 1 

7. They have spoken so much of you, that all the hill 
[102] * parlare tanto — — — tutto — poggio 

re-echoed with it. 
risonare§ ne. 

3 1 2 4 5 6 

8. There the birds are heard to sing, there the hills and 
Quivi — wcce//o[lOl]6efo??0ca?ifare,[364] — collina — 

7 8 12 3 

the meadows are seen blooming, and the fields full of 
— pianura veggono verdeggiare, — — campo pieno — 
corn to wave not otherwise than (like) the sea. 
biada ondeggiare — — — — mare. 

9. Passions, said Galen, are like the stones which 
passione, dice Galeno, — — * sasso che 

from the top of a mountain roll towards the foot ; 

* sommo — ■— — rotolare alio ingiu ; 
as soon as a man has taken a direction towards evil, he is no 
come uno — preso la corsa — — — 

more able to stop himself. 
piu pud fermare * 

10. Throughout (all the) life, one should learn to live 

In tutta — — [102] debbe imparare 

and to die. 
morire. 

11. We unlearn with difficulty that which we have 
[102] disimparare malagevolmente quel che * — 

learned in our tender years. 
— — la eta tenera. 

I 



140 EXERCISES. 

12. We should keep our promise. 

* dee osservare la promessa. 

3 4 5 2 i 

13. One can refuse thee nothing. 

— pud disdire — niente. 

14. They do them no injustice if they are treated (so) 

* fa loro alcuna ingiuria se — trattare si 
as they have treated the others. 

come essi hanno trattato * altro. 

15. There is no crime so hidden which is not discovered 
Non v 9 e reita si nascosta — * — scuopra 

and which is not known. Let the smallest cracks be closed, 

— — * — sappia. Chiudansi — minima fessura, 
let every light be taken away, the evil which thou doest at the 
tolgasi ogni lume, — — — — — 

first crowing of the cock is known before daylight by the 
primo cantar — gallo — sapere prima del di da — 
nearest publicans. 

piu prbssimo taverniere. 

16. What can one say more ? 
Che pud '"* dire piu? 

3 2 1 

17. They work at it day and night. 

* lavorare * di — notte. 

18. They cannot deny it. 

* — * negare * 

19. What would people say of you if you did it \ 
Che [102] direbbe se — ilfaceste f 

2 1 

20. When an impossibility is asked, it is lawful 
Quando cosa impossibile domandare > — Ticito 

to refuse it. 
* la disdire. 

21. They are called geese. 
[101] chiamare paper a. 



ADJECTIVES. 141 

3 4 1 2 

22. Many more of them were sung. 
Piu altre [82] cantare. 

2 3 

23. It is not three days since the words and the music 
Non sono tre giorno che * parola — — suono 

l 
were composed. 
fecero. 

2 1 

24. We should not (have) fear (of) that which is not yet 
[102] vuole * — paura — quel che ancora 

arrived. 
intervenuto. 

25. It is a thing which has never been seen. 

— una cosa — [101] mai veduta. 



EXERCISE IV, 

THE ADJECTIVES. 

1. Hear what she did in presence of many persons. 
TJ dire quel cK — fece — cospetto — molto persona. 

2 1 

2. Thinkest thou that I ought to suffer so great an 
Pensare — ebb io debba patire tanto [108] 

affront 2 
villania ? 

3. He gave me so many blows, that he was near 

Dare — tanto bastonata, che fu presso 
killing me. 

che per ammazzare — 

2 1 

4. Seest thou not with how much arrogance and 
Vedere — con [108] arroganza — 

pride she behaves towards us I 
superbia portarsi con — 



142 EXERCISES. 

5. If thou hast a little patience, I will show thee 
Se avrai * * * pazienza — fare vedere — 

all. 
tutto. 

6. It is not surprising that we hear so much noise. 

Non e maraviglia che — sentire * romore. 

7. How many times have I not told you to do it in 

* volta — — non detto — chefacciate a 

this manner I 
modo suo? 

8. You give him too many caresses. 

fare gli carezza, 

9. Pray, have a little patience and let me finish. 
Di grazia, — [110]* *pazienza, — lasciare * finire. 

10. / have heen greeted on your part many times, and 

— — salutare da parte vostra * — — 
by many of your friends. 

da * [332] vostro amico. 

11.7 make little account of it. 
Fare * stirna [82]. 

12. They had little hope in peace. 

§ * speranza — la pace, 

13. A good conscience is always tranquil. 
La coscienza buono — sempre sicuro. 

14. Glory makes many envious. 
Gloria fare * invidioso. 

15. Slanderers are hateful to God and to men. 
Detrattore — odioso 

16. She is beautiful, rich, good, and witty. 

— bello, ricco, savio, — spi?'itoso. 

17. He found there a respectable woman, very aged. 

Trovare quivi uno buono — moltof attempato. 

f Molto followed by an adjective is always an adverb, and is 
therefore unchangeable in its termination. 



ADJECTIVES. 14S 

2 1 

18. I see in your bright eyes a sweet calm which 

Vedere nei vostri lucente bechio — dolce serenitd che 
ought to be an image of that which the blessed enjoy in 

debbe immdgine — quella die — beato godere — ■ 

(the) heaven. 
cielo. 

2 1 % 3 4 

19. She had (the) lively eyes, (the) a fair and calm 

§ vivace — candido — sereno 

1 2 1 2 1 

forehead, (the) rosy cheeks, (the) a ruddy mouth, and 
— di rose guancia, vermiglio — — 

(the) teeth white as ivory. 

— bianco £107] come avbrio. 

20. Oh ! how many times I laugh at it to myself. 

— fiata risi ne fra — stesso. 

2 

21. In the midst of that field was a fountain of very white 

— mezzo del qual prato fonte — bianclussimo 

1 2 

marble, and with extraordinary carved work. 
marmoy — — maraviglioso intaglio. 

22. If thou desirest to avenge thyself, be silent, and thou 

— vuoi vendicare — taei, — hai 
givest a mortal wound to thine enemy. 

dato — piagu mor'tale at nemico. 

23. Your sister is polite, good, and also generous as you. 
Vostro sorella — cortese, buon'o, — cost liber ak come — 

2 1 

24. Do you prefer the flaxen hair of Lauretta, or the 
Piaccionvi piil — biondo capello — — r- 

black of Lisetta 1 
nero — — 

2o. Poor girl, who has beaten you I 
Pbvero figliuohychi — dare — 



144 
EXERCISE V. 

ON THE COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES. 

1. In good faith, if thou dost not change, I shall burn 
Inbuonafe^ se — — mutare verso, — bruciar 

thee alive. 

— viva viva [13G]. 

2. There is not a woman in the world who is happier than 

Non e — — — che siafelice [128] 

she. 
lei. 

3. This time I have been more cunning than thee. 
Questa — io n' ho saputo piu [128] — 

4. Now / deny it more than ever. 
Ora lonegare — [128] mai. 

5. / wish to be able to love thee as much as thou lovest me. 

Vorrei potere amar . * [124] * — — * 

6. i" went immediately to visit him, and he gave (made) me 

— subito a visitarlOy — — — 
a very agreeable reception. 

lieta [133] accoglienza. 

7. He could not do any thing which deserved more 

Potere§ — — cosa che meritasse [109] 

blame, and less excuse ; and the excuses which he makes 
biasimo, — [109] scuse ; — — — che allegare 

are more unworthy than the fact itself. 

— — brutto [128] — — stesso. 

8. / will do willingly as much as you set me. 

— volentieri [1 24] * imponete — 

9. 1 have never wished/or any thing so much as to study 
— — desiderare cosaalcuna — * [3&]studiare 
two years in my own manner. 
due anno a mio modo. 



COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES. 145 

10. If it were so, I should fear greatly for your safety, 
Se cid fosse — dubitare forte della vostra salute, 

and so much the more as the relapse would be much more 

dangerous than the malady itself. 
pericoloso — — malattia stesso. 

2 1 

11. The splendour of beauty is more fugitive than are (not) 

— splendor e — bellezza fuggevole * [129] 

the flowers, which appear in the spring. 
— fiore, ch? appdiono a primavera. 

12. Learning makes (the) men better. 
Dottrina fare — — [132]. 

13. What (thing) is sweeter than this law l To abstain 
Quale — — soave * questolegge? Astenersi 

from (the) wickedness, to wish for what is good (the good), not 

malvagitd volere — bene — 

to wish for (the) evil, (not) to hate no one, not to be willing 

— — — odiare nessuno, — volere 

(to be unwilling) to do to others that which you would not 

fare — altro quello ch 9 uno — 
wish for yourself. % 

vorrebbe a se. 

14. It is more difficult to know how to be silent, than 

— — nialagevole * saper tacere 9 
how to speak well. 

parlare — 

2 

15. Nothing charms (the) man so much as (the) faithful 
Niunacosa dilettare — — * — 

3 1 

and sweet friendship. 
— — amistd. 

16. It is easier to reply to abuse than not to reply to 

— agevole — — ingiurie * — rispbndere — 
it. 

quelle 



146 EXERCISES* 

17. The love of the money increases as much as 
amove — — danaro crescere — 
the money increases. 

1 8. Who is more exalted than he who despises (the) 
Chi — — eccellente * coluiche disprezzare — 
money \ 

2 1 

19. Hidden pleasures are worth as much as (the) 
Nascoso diletto vagliono — * — 

treasures buried in the earth. 
tesoro occultato sotto — 

20. The tie of (the) friendship binds much more than 

— legame amicizia stringer e — — * 

that of blood or of (the) relationship. 

quel — — — parentado, 

21. Is it not a degradation of a, son to wish to raise a 
— — un abbassare ilfigliuolo voter alzare 

(the) slave almost higher than him I Certainly it is. 

— schiavo quasi su * lui ? Certo che s\ 

3 l 2 

22. We bear (the) hatred more easily than the 
Si sostiene — bdio — leggiermente * — 

society of the wicked and (of the) foolish. 
compagnia * reo — — matto, 

2 1 

23. The wicked man does more evil than the brute. 

— rio — fa — — * — hestia. 

24. Perhaps he did not love me so much as he declared. 
Forse § — amare — cosi * § mostrare, 

25. Who is he that can know it better than I ! 
Chi - — quegli — lo conosca — * — 

26. The woman, so feeble as she was, could not save herself. 

— — [\2%~\debole* — potere — fuggire. 



147 



EXERCISE VI. 

ON THE AUGMENT ATIVES AND DIMINUTIVES. 

1. He has a nasty livid colour, and is so thin that one 

— un [146] colore livido, — — si magro che — 

2 1 

can only see his skin and (his) bones. 
se non gli vedere la — — — osso. 

3 4 

2. Why do you sell these little fish so dear I 
Perche vendere questo (etto) pesce si caro ? 

3. She was a charming young girl of the age of 

* una leggiadra (etto) gibvane d'eta * 
fifteen years. 
— anno, 

2 1 

4. The other was a little child, who was not yet 

— altro * un (ino) fanciullo, che aveva — ancora 
a year (old). 

o. She is naturally very agreeable. 
Ella — naturalmente piacevolina, 

6. For how long shall we endure this vile animal I 
Insino a quanto sosterremo questo * animate? 

7. Be still, foolish chatterer! what nonsense thou art saying 
Sta cheto, accio cicala ! che pazzia diet tu, 

8. i" am well persuaded (myself) that this is a little 

— — avvisto — che costei — una(erelk) 

foolish girl. 
sciocca.f 

9. What sweet little words did she say to me I 
Che dolce (ino) parola disse — 

f The diminutive of sciocca is schioccherella. 



148 ' EXERCISES. 

10. /am determined to ridicule this great fool. 

— deliberare dar la baia a questo [one) sciocco. 

11. They see here a frightful comet ; but it does not 

— vedere qui una accio cometa; ma — non 
appear to me that it can signify any thing of consequence. 
pare — che possa significar cosa — - momento. 

2 1 

12. They found nothing else to eat, save a few 

* trovare non altro da mangiare, die alcuna 
2 i 

wild little apples. 
salvatico [uzzo) mela. 

13. He went away near to the little tower. 

Sene andb vicino a — [icello) torre. 

14. (Not) having but one small chamber, and one single 
Non — che — [eita) camera, — — — 

little bed, I cannot lodge you. 
[icello) letto, posso — alloggiare — 

15. This great dunce wishes me to learn (the) 
Questo {one) [_l43~\pecora vuol * fare conbscere — 

things, as if I was born yesterday. 
— come s* iofossi nata ieri, 

16. Thou hast so fascinated me by thy sparkling 

— — in modo abbagliare ■ — co' tuoi sfavillante 
little eyes, that I am become thy slave. 

(etto) occhio, che sonofatto tuo schtavo. 

17. A good little fellow was gardener of their 
Un buono (icciolo) uomo — ortolano del loro 

garden. [147] 

giardino. 

18. When he opens his great eyes, he appears 
Quando spalancare quegli * bcchio pare 

{like) one possessed. 
uno spiritato. 



AUGMENTATIYES AND DIMINUTIVES. 149 

19. He drew from one pocket a little letter, and gave 

Si trasse — una tasca una (ino) lettera — rese 
it me on your part. 
da vostra parte. 

20. This place was on a little hill. 

II dettoluogo — sopra una {etta) montagna. 

21. She went to a little country-house near there. 
— andarsene {etta) villa vicino ivi 

22. My child, thou art now old enough, it is 
Figliuol mio, — se 9 oggimaigrande (icello\ egli — 

right that thou shouldst begin thyself to see the state 

benfatto — — incominei — medesimo — vedere 
of thy affairs. 
de' tuoi fatti. 

23. She saw on the shore a little fishing - boat, 

Vide alia — riva una (icelld) nave dipescatori, 
without oars and without sail. 
senza remo — — vela. 

24. I shall consider thee as a great fool. 
— avere — peruno {one) sciocco. 

25. He slept in a poor little bed. 

Dormire§ pbvero {icciaolo) letto* 



EXERCISE VII. 

ON THE NUMBERS. 

1. Return in three or four hours. 
Tornarefra — — — or a. 

2. He has given me a pretty gown, a chain which ought 

— — — vesta, — — che dee 

to cost {must have cost) forty crowns, a ruby which is worth 
valere — scudo, che vale 



150 EXERCISES. 

ten (of them), and a wreath which ought to be worth 

— ne, — che — valere 

(is worth) as much. 

altrettanto. 

3. / have written (wrote) to him from Paris the 1 5th of 

— scritto gli * Parigi [166] - 

(the) last month. 

4. Three times three make nine. 

_ [362] — fan — 

5. The first odd number is (the) three ; the first even 

— — caffo — — — — — pari 

number is (the) two. 

6. The city (inhabitants) of Florence were the (one) same 
- - - - [169] 

people with the Romans. 
pbpolo co 9 Romani. 

7. I give you two thousand florins of gold (gold florins) 

— — — [161] fiorino — — 
for it. 

n e. 

8. They have seated themselves all five on the grass, 

— posti a sedere — — sopra — — - 
near (to) the fountain. 
presso a — fontana. 

9. She scattered all the walnuts in the hall, then she 

Fare versare noce per — sala, poi 

made them pick them up one by one. 
— gliele ricbgliere * [168] — 

2 1 

10. They made in the burial-grounds very large trenches, 

— * cimitero — grandefossa, 

2 1 

in (the) which the dead were put by hundreds. 

— — quale — morto — metier e [168] centindia. 



NUMBERS. 151 

11. None of them had exceeded twenty-eight years, nor 

— — loro — passato il ventottesimo anno, ne 
was less than eighteen. 
era minor — . — 

12. He held firmly with (the) his two hands the edges 

Tenere\ forte — — — — — orlo 
of the chest. 
cassa. 

13. The first punishment of (the) crime is to have 
— — pena — — delitto — — 

committed it ; the second, always to fear ; the third, the 
commesso — — — — temere ; — — — 
disgrace ; the fourth, to lose the sight of God. 
infamia ; — — perdere il veder Dio. 

14. When Jupiter created the first men, he made them 
Quando Giove creare — — — egli — li 

with four legs and two heads. 
— — gamba — — testa. 

15. William the Second, king of Sicily, had two children, 
Guglielmo [163] — — Sicilia, — — figliuolo, 

the one called Roger, the other called Constance. 
— — chiamare Ruggieri, — — — Costanza. 

16. Let the ladies take each other by the hand two and 

— donna tengano — per — * — 
two. 

17. If he gives you two hundred francs for each, you 
Se — — — * — — uno, 

ought to be more than satisfied. 
dovere — — — contento. 

18. He loved them all three alike. 

amare — — — parimente. 

19. I shall live with him as a wife ought to live with 

Dimorare — lui — mbglie dee — — 
her husband. 



152 EXERCISES. 

20. The other is a stone, which we (other) lapidaries 
— — pietra, — — — lapidario 

call heliotrope. 
appellare elitrbpia. 

21. Although I have not a thousand (florins), I had a 
Perche — abbia — mille — — § 

good hundred, and even two hundred to give you. 
ben — anche — * da dare — 

22. He had a brother of (the) age of twenty-five years. 

fratello d'eta — — — — 

23. Bet five thousand florins of gold against a thousand. 
Mettere — * fiorino — oro contra a — 

24. I shall depart the tenth' of this month. 

Partire * — — questo — 

25. Walk four and four. 
Andare [168] 



EXERCISE VIII. 

ON THE PRONOUNS. 

1. /should have recognised him another time at a distance ; 

— conbscere — altra voltada lungi; 

however, I stopped then a little time in doubt, thinking if 
pure stare — un pezzo sopra di me, pensare se 

it were he himself. 
fosse * [m~\ 

2. This, my sister, is my beloved 
[253] — — — * diletto. 

3. Lucy, take the bag of this gentleman, and lock 
Lucia, pigliare — vahgia — [245] — — serrare 

it in that little chamber. 
[245] * camera. 



PRONOUNS. 1 53 

4. My host desires that I be (wishes me to be) with him, 

* bspite vuole seco, 

and I have promised it to him. 
[92] 

5. He no more appears himself. 

— — pare \3§~\ 

6. When have you known this man 1 
Dove — — [252] 

7. Have pity on her who dies for your sake. 

— pieta di [252] muore per vostra cagione, 

8. I do not give her to him. 

— dare * [92] 

9. If you wish to know it, I will tell it you. 
Se — volere sapere * — dirb — [90] 

10. This man is not whom he appeared to be. 

[253] [213] parere 

11. J love her exceedingly, and / am beloved by her. 

— [85] sommamente, — — — 

12. I do not wish to importune you any more. 

— vbglio importunare [87] altrimenti. 

13. Let us go to meet them. 

incontro a [83] 

3 l 2 

14. What shall we do with this man, said one to the other. 
[211'] farem — di [252] dicevafuno — 

15. Nobody would desire to live without friends, although 

— vorrebbe mvere — amico, anche 
possessing all (the) other advantages. 

avendo — — — bene. 

16. Am I not as handsome as she I 
[123] — * * 

17. You cannot refuse it to him. 

— potere negare * [92] 



154 EXERCISES. 

18. If / was her, / would not do it. 
Se fosti 172] —fare [84] 

19. You have deserved it as well as he. 

— — rneritare — [123] — * * 

20. The wicked are never pleased with themselves. 

— reo mai godere di se stessi. 

21. The hird called cuckoo sounds always its own name, 

— uccello detto cilculo cantare — [243] — 

but one does not listen to it with pleasure, and it is abused 

— * — ode * volentieri, — — beffare 
by the other birds : such is he who praises himself. 

da — — — cosi — colui — lodare se stesso. 

22. The mouth of him who tells lies kills the soul. 

— bocca — colui [181] mente uccidere — — 

23. This {woman) said that Emily was (is) not handsome, 
[252] diceva — Emilia — — — 

and I said that she was. 
diceva di si. 

24. This woman, hearing that, said, — Well, how shall 
[252] * udire — disse, Or bene, — 

we act ! 
fare? 

25. That (woman) merits thy love as much as every 
[252] rneritare [232] * qualunque 

other {woman) who pleases thee more 

— [131] piacque — mai. 



155 



EXERCISE IX. 

ON THE RELATIVE PRONOUNS. 

2 1 

1. Who will believe that he says probable things? (i.e. what 
[185] credere che dica verisimile — 

is probable). 

2. What is it I hear I 
[185] sentire? 

2 i 

3. Of what dost thou complain ? What dost thou want ? 
— [185] — rammaricare? * ti manca? 

Speak. 
Parlare. 

4. Some had been bitten by a dog, others wounded by a 
[213] — — morso da * ferire da — 

stone ; these had received a blow in one place, those in 
sasso ; chi § ricevere — — — — luogo, chi — 
another. 



5. Here is the man by whom we are abused. 

Ecco — — -r da [214] — beffare. 

6. The scholar who, at the beginningof the night, had hidden 

— scolare che, in sulfar della notte, — nascoso 
himself near to the tower, felt compassion for this woman. 
— pressoa — — sentire com passione — 

7. What horse have you ever seen without a head \ 
[185] cavallo vedeste max — — 

8. What do we here I 

* facciam — — 

9. Now is arrived the time when thou canst have hisfriendship. 
Or a — venire — che puoi — * — 

K 



156 EXERCISES. 

2 1 

10. The man who knows virtue least fears the less (of) 

— — * conbscere — — temere — — 
to do wrong. 

errare. 

11. The man who perceives not (the) dangers runs 

— — — non iscorge — -— scbrrere 

2 

fearlessly everywhere ; and the man who can lose 

baldanzosamente — — — — — pub perdere 

l 
nothing is almost always at play. 
— — quasi sempre — giuoco. 

12. We have no other aim than the usefulness of our 

— — — — fine — — utilitd * — 

disciples. 

discepolo. 

2 l 

13. Human life is a market ; some sell, others 

— — mercato; [213] * * 

buy ; some do one thing, some another ; some weary 
comprare; * * — — * — * affaticare 

themselves here, others vex themselves there. What does 
— qua, * affannare — — [185] fa 

the philosopher I He looks on and examines. 
— — Osservare — sta a vedere. 

14. Madman ! What is (the) sleep if not the image of 
Stolto! [185] — — 

(the) death ! 

15. Plato says that the words should be as the 
Platone dice — — — deono — secondo — 

things of which one speaks. 
[214] - - 

16. What thing is more wondrous and (more) beautiful 

[211] — — maravigPioso — — hello 
than (the) truth ! 






RELATIVE PRONOUNS. 157 

17. You do not know the danger in which you are. 

— — conbscere — — — [214] — 

18. To what would that serve you? (Of what use would 
— [185] servire — 

that be to you ?) 

19. Oh ! my dear friend, what words are those which thou 
Deh ! — — anima, * — — [245] — 

sayest ? 
d\? 

20. What was the cause for which you were angry with 

* — — cagione — [214] — turbarsi — 
him ! 
lui? 

21 . What is this thing which you have made me eat I 

* — questa — che — — fatta — mangiare? 

22. You did that which a disloyal and wicked knight 

— fare quello — disleale — malvagio cavalier 
should do. 

dee — 

23. Who could answer to thy wise words I 
[185] sapere rispbndere * [232] savio parola? 

24. / shall reveal to thee as to a father that which 

palesare — come — — * [255] 
/ have always concealed from every one. 
— — celare a tutti. 



158 
EXERCISE X. 

ON THE POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS, 

2 1 

1. Thou hast made more account of a momentary pleasure 

— — — — conto momentaneo ■ — 

than of thy house and of thy children. 
* * [232] casa — * [232] figliuolo. 

2. J went to the house of Laura {Laura's house) with 

— a casa di Laura — ■ 

two of my servants. 
— * — famiglio. 

3. Tell me your name. 
Dite — * nome. 

4. Will you that I (do you wish me to) tell you my 

Volere che — dica — * 

opinion. 
opinione. 

5. If my sad fate has decreed that she shall not be to 
Se * trista sorte — disposto ch f ella — — sia 

me, it is however better that my friend have her. 
mia y egli e pur — che * — Vabbia. 

6. My nephew is entirely yours (at your service). 

* nipote — tutto * 

7. She is and always will be the queen of my soul. 
Ella — signora * — — 

8. / have sent to call him by one of my servants. 

— mandare a chiamare — per — * [_24A~\servitore. 

9. i" have heard say that the house is no more (longer) 

— sentire dire che — — — — — 
yours. 

[233] 



POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS. 159 

10. Shall we not deserve the affection of our children, 

— — meritare — affetto * — — 
for whom we do not hesitate to expose ourselves to death I 
per — dubitare mettere * — morte? 

11. In all the time of his life (during his lifetime) he had 

but one (only) child. 
altro che un — figliulo. 

12. A certain Momus, not being able in other things (re- 
Un certo Momo — potere — — — 

spects) to find fault with the beautiful Venus, blamed 

colpare — — Venere, biasimare 

one of her sandals. 
* * — pianella. 

13. You have increased my desire and my courage. 

— — accresciuta la vbglia mia — Vanimo mio. 

3 1 

14. Do you know if he has taken my advice in good 

2 Saperese dbbia pig Hare * configlio per bene 
or in bad part I 
—per male? 

15. When she saw her son, she ran affectionately to 
Come vide * — corse affettuosamente ad 

embrace him. 
abbracciarlo. 

16. Let the horse be yours and the woman mine. 

— — — * — — donna * 

17. Your husband, how does he call himself] (What is 

— — chiamare — 

your husband's name ? 

2 

18. J have shown you my misery and my grief, do your 

mostrare — * — — * dolor e, — ilpiacer 
3 § i 

pleasure of (^with) me. 

vostro — — 



160 EXERCISES. 

19. Let me do it, for certainly I will arrange 
Lnsciare fare a rne } che fermamente — acconciare 

your business and mine. 
* fatti — * 

20. You ought to know that my father left me a rich 

— dovete sapere ~— * — lasciare — ricco 
man. 
uomo. 

21. / had formerly one of my neighbours, who, with the 

— gia — — vicino, — al 

greatest injustice in the world, did nothing else but beat 
maggior torto del mondo § — altro che battere 

his wife. 
la mbglie. 

22. If thou hast not that intention which thy words 
Se — — — quello animo — * parola 

declare, feed me not with vain hopes. 
dimostrare, pascere [387] — di vano speranza. 

23. These things are (belong') to me, and J do not sell 

Le cosa — rnie> — — vendere 

them. 

24. I know that you have honoured my mother, and 

So che — onorata * — — 

assisted my unfortunate father. 



25. One of my neighbours {fern.) has told me that this 
— * — — — detto — che questo 

house belongs to you. 



161 
EXERCISE XI. 

ON THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS. 

1. What means this? 
Che vuol dire cib ? $ 

2. At that moment when I was listening what || that could 

In quello che — ascoltare quel die — potesse 
be, the house suddenly became filled with constables. 
—ad un tratto — empirsi di birro. 

2 1 

3. Cease these useless tears, and think on your safety 
Lasciare [245] — — — pensare alia — salute 

and (to) mine. 

4. You do not know these rascals. 

— conbscere — ribaldo. 

5. Go and put off these clothes. 
— a cavarvi * panni. 

6. What is this parcel which you have under the arm ? 
Che fardello — sotto? 

7. Have you need of me in this affair \ 

— bisogno — faccenda ? 

8. Hast thou at last finished this dialogue without 

— — ancor finire * ragionamento seuza 
conclusion \ 

conclusione % 

9. You will have at last that which you desire. 

— infine quel — desiderate, 

% Cio means this or that thing. 

I) What, meaning that which, should be translated by quel che. 



162 EXERCISES. 

10. I know that you are not her whom I desired. 

Conbscere che quella che — — 

11. At the moment, as I was going to seal this letter, 
In quello, che — era per sigillar * — 

/ received yours of the 20th current. 
ho ricevuta * — del corrente. 

12. Where have you been this morning \ 
Dove — — — [247] 

13. To-night it will be cooler, and thou wilt sleep better. 

— Jure fresco, — dor mire — 

14. / should not have known what to do, if you had not 

— — sapere che cosa — se foste — 
come at that moment. 
venire in quella [251]. 

15. Pray, do us this pleasure. 
Di grazia, — * — piacere. 

16. / tell you that this (thing) does not belong to you. 

17. At this moment your brother arrived with his wife. 

In quella * — giunse — la vnhglie* 

18. Thou wilt lay up this distaff which I leave here. 

— riporre — rocca ch 9 io lasciare qui. 

19. /went to Rome to see all those famous antiquities. 
Andare — Roma per vedere — ■ * — antichita. 

20. Why are you come out so early this morning \ 
Perche — uscire s\ per tempo — — 

21. J received your second letter, at the moment when I 

Avere * — — in quella ch' io 
was going out. 
era per uscire. 

22. He complains of that woman, and murmurs against 

lamentarsi — — mormorare contro 

her. 
a lei. 



THE WORDS TUTTO AND OGNI. 163 

23. Give me this book or that, it is immaterial. 
Bare * * — — * tanf e. 

24. The ladies will remain in this garden, and we will go 

— donna restate — * — — 

into that thicket. 
— * boschetto. 

25. May this traitor be taken. 

— — traditore — preso. 



EXERCISE XII. 

ON THE WORDS TUTTO AND OGNI. 

1. There was no one in the house but this 
Non era altra persona — — casa che quella 

girl. 
fanciulla. 

2. Thou must be some fool. 

— debbi — [266] sciocco. 

3. /will give him all the caresses that I can. 

Fare gli — — carezza che potrb. 

4. If you wish that I should write something to you, give 
Se volere che scrivere — — — 

me a subject to write to you. 
* materia da — — * 

2 1 

5. All men naturally desire knowledge. 
Tuttif gli uomini naturalmente desiderare sapere. 

6. When I arrived here there was no one. 
Quando arrivare qui c'tra — [268] 

7. Nobody is more unfortunate than he. 

— misero * lui. 

+ Tutto is followed by an article. 



164 EXERCISES. 

8. He has more likeness to (with) the vilest animal, 

— — somiglianza — — vile — 

whatever it may be, than to (with) a man. 
[219] * — 

9. There is nothing in the world that can please him. 
Non e — — che possa piacergli, 

10. He has features formed in such a manner that one 

— un volto fat to a un modo che * 

can trace there neither shame, nor fear, nor any other passion 

conbscere * ne vergogna, — paura — affetto 

whatever. 



11. No force can bend him. 
[2&]~\forza pub piegare lo. 

12. No neighbour had {any) care of the other. 

13. This shows nothing. 
Questo montare — 

14. It agrees with no man to do that which nature 

Conviene a — — * fare quello che — 

refuses him. 
negare glu 

2 1 

15. Every place is the country of the wise man. 

1 6. He who follows every road, whatever it may be, never 
Colui che tiene * via, [219] — 

reaches (to) any place. 
perviene — — — 

17. Take good care that no person touches my things. 
Guar dare bene che — — toccare le cose mie, 

18. Allmenfeel naturally the desire of (the) knowledge, 
— — sentire — — desiderio — scienza, 



THE WORDS TUTTO AND OGNI. 165 

because it is the ultimate perfection of our soul, and 

perch? essa ultimo, perfezione delV anima nostra, — 

it is in it that is placed our final happiness. 
in essa sta V ultima nostra felicitd, 

19. God leaves not any evil unpunished, although it be 

— lasciare — — — impunito, sebbene — 
not punished when one (man*) desires it. 

— punito quando — desiderare * 

20. The young man listened attentively, and answered 

— giovinetto ascoltare diligentemente, — rispose 
that he would do nothing. 

che ne volea — — 

21. Each one entreated his father for himself. 

[257] pregare il — — se. 

22. Every mother was the nurse of her children. 

— — — balia dei suoi figliuoh. 

3 2 1 

23. Some were of a more cruel opinion. 
[268] — crudele sentimento. 

24. Every man of whatever age made rejoicings, and 
[256] — di qualunque eta fare * festa, — 

in like manner the ladies, by singing songs of love. 
similmente — donne, cantare verso — amore, 

25. Nobody better than you knows the truth of that 

* — * — sa — vero — quello 

which they say. 
— [102]<ft>e. 



166 
EXERCISE XIII. 

ON THE PREPOSITIONS. 

1. / went from home about the beginning of the night. 

Uscire di casa quasi in sulfarsi sera. 

2. It appeared properly a robber's station. 

Parere§ prbprio — ladro * stanza [322]. 

3. She did things beyond belief. 

* — da non credere. 

4. What hast thou against me since this morning I 

— — con •— [321] — — 

5. He is a man fit for nothing — he is stupidity itself. 

* — — dappocdgine stessa. 

6. If my return is not in ten days, it will not take place 
— * ritornosard — [346] — — — avrdluogo 

for some time. 
per un pezzo. 

7. They are men of a dull understanding. 

— — — grosso ingegno, 

8. We have had so many blows that for many less an ass 

— — — * bussa — — assai — 

would go from hence to Rome. 

- [318] 

9. He who desires not to be loved by you is not a man. 

10. She had been brought up from her infancy in continual 

* — allevare * — — — 

fatigues. 



PREPOSITIONS. 167 

11. Many maladies cure themselves without the help 

— * — guariscono da se — — opera 

of (the) doctors. 
— — medico. 

12. / will lead you to her, and / am sure that she will 

condurre — [325] — certo — conb- 

recognise you. 
scere — 

13. J swear to you as an honest man that J have not seen 

— — [326] — — — — vedere 

it. 



14. He has given orders to one of his servants to give you 

— comandare * — — — 

(something) to eat. 
[328] * - 

15. Whatever power she have she can not injure me. 

[342] — — — potere — nubcere — 

16. Stand still, for the love of God. 
State cheto, [336] 

1 7. ( The) gratitude, among the other virtues, is extremely 

— gratitudine y * — — — — sommamente 
praiseworthy. 
* lodare. 

18. Diogenes the cynic used to say that the money of the 
Dibgene — cinico diceva — — danari — 

2 1 

covetous was like (to the) wild figs which grow on 

avaro — somigliante — salvatico fico — stare 
the tops of the mountainsand cannot be reached by honest men, 

su — — i — — cbgliere * — 

and are the food of the ravens and of the rooks. 
— — pasto — corvo — — cornacchione. 



168 EXERCISES. 

19. He who puts off an undertaking is like the villager who, 
— — differire — — — villano — 

wishing to pass a river, waits till it cease to flow, and the 

volere — aspeitareche scorra tutto 9 — — 

stream runs and shall run on always. 
— cbrrere — — — 

2 1 

20. What does reason demand at the (hands of) man ? 

— — addomandare — 

2 3 1 

a very easy thing : to live according to nature. 
facile — * — — * — 

21. Dante teaches us that the path of virtue is difficult 

— insegnare — — — — — malegevole 

at the beginning, then easy, and at last very agreeable. 

nel principio, poi agevole, — — rnolto dilettevole, 

22. Genius becomes enfeebled, if we do not recruit it 
— ingegno infievolisee, — * * ristorare * 

2 1 

by (a) constant study. 
con — continuo — 

23. We must begin to learn from infancy. 

Bisogna — — imparare infino dafanciullo. 

24. Among all the vices, we must first resist 

— — si conviene in prima contrastare 

gluttony. 
— gola. 

25. By beauty, we direct the mind to contemplation ; 

* — dirizmre — animo — — 

2 l 

and by contemplation to the ]ove of heavenly things : 

— * — — — desiderio — del cielo — 
thus it (viz. beauty) is sent among us as a specimen and 
onde — mandare — — per saggio — 

2 1 

(as) a pledge of heavenly things. 

— arra — * — 



169 
EXERCISE XTV. 

ON THE ADVERBS. 

1. You know now how the things go on. 

Sapereora — — — passare, 

4 3 12 

2. How powerful is the force of love ! 
[368] poderoso sono — forze — — 

3. We purchase a favour very dearly, when we ask for 

— — — assai caro, — * domandare 
it even a single time (once only). 
* pur — — — 

4. He has advised me faithfully. 

— consigliare — fedels [349]. 

2 1 

5. J remember and shall always remember you, because 

Ricordarsi — — — di voi> — 

you deserve it. 
— valere — 

6. Let us begin jo} T fully (to) this enterprise. 

Me tier si lieto — — — 

7. Mad, no ; but in love, yes. 
Pazzo, — — innamorato, — 

8. Now it is time to prove your fidelity. 

— — — * provare * fede. 
2 l 

9. It is the property of a great soul to despise deeply 

— propria grande animo* sprezzare alto 

injuries and insults. 
— — offesa, 

10. Now is arrived the time when you can obtain his 

venuto — — che potere avere 

friendship which you have so much desired. 
— — — — desiderare. 



170 EXERCISES. 

11. I have rented a little villa near to this (place). 

— preso afitto — * — — di qui. 

12. If thou art unwilling to do me this favour, at least 
— non volere — — — — almeno 

hring me a glass of water. 
far venire — — — 

2 1 

13. The bright day being come, and the tempest being 

— — — — venuto, — — — essendosi 
a little calmed, the woman raised her head. 
alquanto acchetare, — — alzare '* — 

14. Since you cannot go elsewhere, I will lodge you 
Poiche — — — altrove — albergare — 

willingly (for) this night. 

15. He began . to make an appearance of extending 

Cominciare — — sembiante — distendere 
one of his fingers, and afterwards the hand, and then the arm. 
— — appresso — — — poi — — 

16. I found myself exactly opposite (to) the door of the 

trovare — appunto dirimpetto a — ilscio 

chamber whence the lady should come out. 

— donde — donna dovere uscire, 

17. He ran a thousand times in the day, now to the 

Correre — — — — ora 

window, now to the door, and now into the court (for) 

— — — — — — — corte * 

to see this woman. 

— [252] 

18. / saw you rise and seat yourself there 

vedere — levare — porre a seder e — 
where you are. 
dove — — 

19. He began to look at him steadfastly. 

Cominciare — riguardare — fisso [350]. 



ADVERBS. 171 

20. When it will be agreeable to you, you can freely 
— — a grado vi potrete libero 

depart. 
partire, 

21.7 shall lament in vain for having lost my youth. 

Dolersi * di — perduta * giovanezza. 

22. They began to say, who is there ! 

Cominciare — 

23. My father, you are now old and you can 
— — — — oggimai vecchio — potere 

with difficulty support fatigue. 
male [350] durar fatica. 

24. What are you doing yonder ! 

— — — laggiu? 

25. I will tell a thing incredible, perhaps, but true. 

Dire non credibile, forse, — — ■ 



EXERCISE XV. 

ON THE CONJUNCTIONS. 

1. If you reach Rome, you will have no more 
— arriverete sino a — — — — — — 

doubt about it. 
~ ne 

2. He could not deny it, even though he would. 

potrebbe — [372] — * 

3. If at the beginning of an undertaking men thought (to) 
principio — * * — 

of the end they would never do anything. 
— — * — — — niente. 

4. If / had known it, I should not have asked it of thee. 
[371] * sapere — — — domandare — 

L 



172 EXERCISES. 

5. If thou art wise, thou wilt be less curious to know 

— saraisavio, — — curioso — cercare 
the affairs of others. 

— fatto — — 

6. If you come here, you shall be made welcome and 

— venire — accarezzare — 

assisted by each. 

x 

7. Although she did not please me, and although she did not 

-* -K- 

appear to me beautiful, I wished {to have) her, to 

mi parere — — — — P38] 

enrage you. 

far arrabbiare — 

8. If the desire (of it) came over me, I would have 
— — * * — mi darebbe 

the courage to do it. 
il cuore 

9. My love will (not) end but with my death. 

* — — finire se non per — 

10. If you go away, your mother will be very grieved at it. 
— partire, * — — dolente assai ne. 

11. Although he wished it, he would not and he could not 

— — — sapere — 

tell it again. 



12. Since it pleases you thus, I will do it. 
Poiche piacere — — — — — 

13. Thus we may conclude that every thing is submitted 
Sicche * pub — — * — sia suggetta 

to his power. 
— * potenza. 



CONJUNCTIONS. 173 

14. If thou answerest not to insults, thou wilt inflict a 
— — rispbndere — ingiuria, — fare — 

2 1 

mortal wound on him who has offended thee. 
— piaga a colui — — offeso — 

1 5 . Man could not imagine that our blessedness, in con- 
Uuomovotere — immaginarsi — * beatitudine,nelcon- 

teni plating God, will be eternal and without any suspicion of 
templar — — — — — — sospetto — 

satiety, if he did not see that the contemplation of the charms of 
sazietd [371 1] * * — — — della vaghezza — 

2 12 1 

virtue is an incomprehensible pleasure, an ineffable delight, 
— incomprensibile — — ineffabilebeatitudine 

an attraction which, when it ends, he would wish to begin again, 
dolcezza — — finire, — — 

a contentment such that man forgets himself. 

— contento — — sene dimentica se medesimo. 

2 l 

16. How beautiful she is — how charming {she is) — how 
[368] — — * V aga — * 

graceful {she is) ! 
grazioso ! — 

17. Although I should love thee (not) for no other cause, 

* * 

thy life is dear to me that / may live. 
* caro — acciocche — 

18. His comrades dared not help him ; on the contrary, they 

* compagno ardire§ — anzi> 

cried out together with the others that he ought to be killed. 
gridare — — — — fosse§ morto, 

1 9. If you had come earlier, you could have dined with us. 

— a miglior ora avreste — — — 

20. To do that which you demand me, I wait only 
Afarquello ~ domandare — nonaspettarealtro 

for time. 
che — 

f A past tense after se, ove, quando, is also translated by the im- 
perfect subjunctive. 



174 EXERCISES. 

21. Sir, the cranes have {not) but one leg. 
Signor, — gru — senon — gamba. 

22. Certainly if I denied that, I should deny the truth. 
CertOy * cib, negare [424] — vero. 

23. In order that the high-horn girl should not fall into 
Acciocche — gentil gibvane — venisse a 

2 1 

the hands of a worthless man, we should believe that God, 
mano — vile — * dee — — Iddio, 

in his kindness, permitted that which happened. 
per * benignita, permettesse quello — avvenire. 

24. If you had resisted {yourself) vigorously, all this 

— — * opporsi vigorosoy — — 
would not have happened. 

— avveniva. 

25. Before (that) thou killest me, tell me in what I have 
Anzi — — uccidere — — * 

offended thee. 
offeso — 



EXERCISE XVI. 



ON THE USE OF THE AUXILIARY VERBS. 

1. There was not a single man who did not laugh 
[364] * — — — ismascellasse 

immoderately. 
dalle visa. 

2. Havel then to (must I) suffer all the time (days) of 

[369]*"* stentare — * 

my life \ 
la — 

3. What is there of novelty I 

* * nniint'.n 9 



AUXILIARY VERBS, 175 

4. I have to speak to you about an affair of importance. 

— \_±4£f\parlare * per cosa che importa. 

5. What is there I (i. e. What is the matter ?) What do 

* -55- 

you command ! 
commandare ? 

6. These are things (this is enough) to make one mad. 

— — -— * — impazzare. 

7. Who is there I It is I. 

* * [456] 

8. Are you so little employed, that you trouble yourself 
— — tanto — occupare y — — diate impaccio 

with the affairs of others \ 
delle facenda altrui ? 

2 1 

9. Here is a certain rural tranquillity that one finds 

* * — — villereccio quiete — * — 

(we find) not in many other places. 
* — — * luogo. 

10. If it belonged to me, / would make him see his own 
Se stesse [458] — fare ravvedere 

fault in spite of himself. 
suo malgrado, 

11. The house which, two years ago, belonged (was) to my 

— — — * * [363] — di — 

sister, belongs (is) to me at present. 
— — mia — oggu 

12. J refrained from writing to you through fear of 

Mi teiier e — — — per temenza — 

being troublesome to you. 
essere molesto * 

13. These are things to make fools believe (Fools 

[450] * — * dar merlotti ai ad intbndere. 
only would believe such things). 



176 EXERCISES. 

14. In all (the) things, the mean is to be praised, and 
— — — mezzo — * lodare, — 

the extremes to be Warned. 
— estremita * biasimare. 

15. Henceforth it is for me to speak, and I will do it 
Oramai toccare [458] — — — — — 

willingly. 

16. There are some (of them) of all shapes. 

* * we - — — ognifatta, 

1 7. You are (the) thoughtless if you have not understood 

— — " gli smemorati se — — inteso 
it. 



18. Our conversations have been too long. 

* ragionamento * * — lungo. 

19. Now you know that which is to do (what is to be 
Or a conbscere — — — * — 

done), and that which is to follow. 

— — — — * seguitare. 

20. These fruits are better to look at than (good) to 

— — — — * riguardare — — * 
eat. 
mangiare. 

21. Is it you, my father, who calls me I 
* — — — — chiamare — 

22. Yes, it is I ; come down quickly. 
Sz * — men giu tosto. 

23. It is for our master to reward us, and not for us 
Toccare * — — * premiare — — — * — 

to reward him. 



IRREGULAR VERBS. 177 

24. If I had known that it belonged to me to do it 
Se avessi saputo — toccare§ 

2 1 

I would have done it already. 
— gia. 

25. Having learned to whom it belonged, I would not 

— udire * chi — volli — 

accept it. 
accettare — 

EXERCISE XVII. 

ON THE IRREGULAR VERBS. 

1. 7 am a merchant, and I go carrying here and there 

— mercante — * portare di qua e di la 

2 1 

Sicilian honey and cheese. 
Siciliano — — cacio. 

2. Take the glass and give me something to drink. 
Pigliare — biechiere — — — [328] fore. 

3. If you do (the) wrong, it will be for you to lament it. 
— f arete — male, toccare pidngere — 

4. Upon my word, I wish to make him find that which he 

Allafe, vbglio — * — — — 

is seeking. 
andar cercando. 

5. Why do you seek for that which you will perhaps 
Perche — — — — forse 

never find \ 
non mai trovare f 

6. All flee that which we seek to flee. 
— andar fuggendo — — — cercare di — 

7. Shall we suffer that an ignorant man play the philo- 

Patire noi — fare — filbso- 

sopher I 
fo? 



178 EXERCISES. 

8. It is for me to tell the last story of those of 
Toccare raccontare — — novella • — 

to-day. 
oggu 

9. I wished to go to your house (to call on you) to wish 

Volere * da voi a dar- 

you a pleasant journey, but it was not possible. 
vi il buon — — — — — 

10. Shall we stay here without doing any thing \ 

Stare — — — niente? 

11. There are already eight years that I give him his 

** — ——— — — da 

food. (J have already supported him eight years), 
mangiare. 

12. He goes looking for his friend. 



13. / promise you to go and see you in three or four 

promettere — * [446] — * fra — 

days. 



14. Give me something to buy the dinner. 

— — * comprare — — 

15. What shall we do at supper if our friends come ? 

— — da cena se gli — vengono ? 

16. I shall not be able to call on you, but I shall call, 

— potrb venire da — — andare 
without fail, on your brother. 
senza f alio, da — — 

17. / was going to your house to ask (to you) dinner 

* * per — — da desinare. 
(from you). 



IRREGULAR YERBS. 179 

18. He was walking through the fields gathering some 

— per — campo cbgliere 

fragrant plants, and found this pretty little jewel. 
odorifere — — trovare — — (-ino) gioiello. 

19. Since you have done that which I (had) told you, / 
Poiche — — — — — — detto — 

will give you something to buy you a pretty gown. 
— da — veste. 

20. I wish to go and spend some weeks at my little 
Volere — a fare * — (~etta) 

country house. 
villa. 

21. Irresolute of him-self, he went wanderinghere and there 
Incerto — se medesimo, — vagare or qua or Id 

through Tuscany. 
per Toscana, 

22. What shall I go seeking through the world \ That 

— cercare [339] lo — Quel 

which / love and that which I desire is with me. 

— — — — — desiderare — meco. 

23. Some go here, and others there, fleeing that which we 
Chi * qua, — * la, fuggire — — — 

desire to flee. 
cercare di — 

24. / shall go and dine with you and with your party. ' 

— a desinar — — * compagnia. 

25. He went dancing and singing so gaily, {that he almost 

• — saltare — — tanto lieto, 
jumped out of his sltin) that he could not contain himself 

— — capere 

in his skin. 
— il cuoio. 



180 
EXERCISE XVIII. 

ON THE PRESENT PARTICIPLE. 

1. He thinks to have caused (in) me great fear in telling 

Credere — fare — — — * * 

me that he would not let me enter his house. 
* — — in cam sua. 

2. Men err in speaking in many different ways, 

* peccare * * in — — modo. 

S. She said then almost laughing — You are too cruel with 

Dire — quasi ridere — — — 

me. 

4. Oiten, in looking for one thing, we find another (of them) 

— * cercare — — * — — — 

which is not less valuable. 
— caro. 

5. He gave force to his words by weeping, (by) crying, 

Aiutare le — * piangere, — gridare 7 

2 3 1 

and (by) striking his breast and his face with his hands. 
— — darsi nel petto e nel viso delle mani. 

6. Plato, in exhorting Dionysius to remember some of his 
Platone * esortare Dionisio — ricor darsi * * — 

precepts, told him, in one of his letters, that the best way 

— disse — — ■ — — — — modo 

of calling them to mind was not to write them. 
rammentarsi — — 

7. Cicero, seeing that his brother, who was small of 
Cicerone, vedere — * — piccolo di 

stature, had girded on a long sword, said : who has tied my 

statura, — cinto — disse : * — — * 

brother to that sword I 



PRESENT PARTICIPLE. 181 

8. In coming before me the first time, he acted the deaf 
Xelvenirmi dinanzi — — — fece — — 

and the fool. ^ 
smemorato, 

9. There will be no one, who in seeing us, will not make 



way, and (will not) let us pass. 
luogOy — — — andare, 

10. Here, in this gentle current of air, we shall spend this 
Qui, a — ventolino passare — 

hot part of the day more agreeably than in walking 
calda parte — — — piacevole — * passeggiare 
through the garden. 
per — — 

11. I never have so much pleasure as I have in praising 
— — — * ho * lodare 

the ladies. 
— donna. 

12. Pardon me, if / vex you sometimes by asking 

— vi tolgo il capo — * domandare 

you questions. 



13. 7 despaired on seeing myself watched by those who 

disperarsi * — — guardare * — — 
were near to us. 
— intorno a — 

14. In looking around he saw nothing, but clouds and 
* guardare dattorno — - — [375] nilvolo — 



2 1 

15. Judging to have seen enough, he proposed to return 
Parendogli — — — proporre tornare 

to Paris. 



182 EXERCISES, 

16. The good woman, hearing that, had pity on him, 

- — — — udire — gliene venne pieta. 

17. / wish thee to wait for me a year without remarrying, 

[447]— — — [444] 

Deginning from this day when / set out. 
cominciare * — — che mi parto. 

18. He hoped for pardon hy making presents to the 

* §Sperare — [473] donare — 

most influential people, 
piil grosso, 

19. Do not make a show of being astonished, nor lose 
* vista — maravigliare, ne perder 

time in denying it. 
tempo * — — 

20. After supper they amused themselves in singing and 
Dopo cena trastullare — [473] cantare — 

in dancing in the usual manner. 
* ballare a — usato modo. 

21. These doing one thing, and those another, the time 
Chi fare — — — * — — 

passing away, the hour of supper, scarcely expected, 
fuggirsiy — or a — — appena aspettare, 
arrived. 
soppravenire. 

22. Become all red with shame, almost weeping, and 

Divenire — vernugliodi vergogna, quasi piangere, — 
2 1 

trembling all over, in broken words, she began to express 
tremante — conparola rotto, cominciare — dire 
herself thus. 
— cosu 

23. The young girl, weeping, answered that she had lost 

— giovane, * — rispondere — § smarrita 

her* companions in the forest. 
* compagnia — selva. 



PAST PARTICIPLE. 183 

24. He consumed, in looking for them, all the rest 

Consumare, * cercare — rimanente 

of that morning. 
mattina. 

25. Thou injurest me, in thinking perhaps to serve me. 

— offendere — [445] credere forse giovare — 



EXERCISE XIX. 

ON THE PAST PARTICIPLE. 

1. Having given me luncheon, dinner, and supper^e lodged 

[441] — da merendare, — — — — 

me like a prince. 

2 l 

2. Seeing the lonely place, they robbed him. 
Vedere — — — rubare — 

3. All the places around were covered with bones. 
— dHntorno — coper to [296] ossame. 

4. Each star has already disappeared from the east. 

— — era — faggire * — — 

5. This noble lady having departed from this world, all 

— gentil donna dipartitasi — — — — 
the city remained almost bereaved and despoiled of all its 

— — rimanere — vedovo — spogliare * 

nobility. 

6. When you shall have read, and re-read this letter, 
Come — — — — — — 

burn it. 
bruciare — 



184 EXERCISES. 

7. He who has betrayed his benefactor, can do that which 
— tradire il — pub — 

he desires without feeling the least remorse. 
vuole [444] averne — minimo — 

8. / am ashamed of it, even to my soul. 

sono arrossito * sino nelV — 

9. The answer which you have sent me by my brother, 

has not yet arrived. 
e — — comparire [438], 

10. He wishes to die as he has lived. 

— — — e vivuto. 

11. She had so much grace in smiling, that if she had 
— — — — * rider 'e , avesse 

always smiled, she would have always pleased. 
— — sarebbe — piaciuta. 

12. She began to say the words given her by the scholar. 

13. She had remained a long time in Sicily with the father 

Era dimorare — — — — — 

of this young man. 
gibvane, 

14. Let not the men be vexed, we {women) are 

non V abbiano per male, — — 

more compassionate than they. 



15. The women having got to the window, began to cry, 

thieves ! thieves ! 
alladro! alladro! 

16. The affection of his son inthralled him so, that he 
— affezione — il — strinse — tanto, — 

paid no attention to the trick played by his servant. 
pose — mente ingannofare * il servo. 



PAST PARTICIPLE. 185 

17. If it had pleased (to the) God, death would have been 

— fosse piacere — — era 
more agreeable to me than to live longer. 

— a grado — — * piu vivere. 

18. The nurses of the infants tell them when they weep — 

— bdlia — fanciullo — — — — 
there is King Richard, because he was feared like death. 

— perciocche — temere — — 

19. When they had heard this, there was no need of any 
Come — — — bisognb piu 

thing else. 
avanti* 

20. My father, I do not believe it necessary that I tell 
Padre mio, — — [4471 — bisognare raccon- 

you the history of my misfortune, for I am sure that you 
tare — istbria * — sciagura P che — certa — — 
have heard it. 

— udire — 

21. My eyes, deprived of their mirth, gave to my heart 
Gli — privare * — allegrezza, dare§ * cuore 

a sad subject of lamentation. 
noioso cagione — dolersi, 

22. They were all crowned with oak-leaves. 
Esso § — inghirlandare — fronde di querela. 

23. I am certain that they are come as far as this 
certo — — venire infino a questo luogo 

without meeting with any opposition. 
— trovare alcuno resistenza. 

24. Having saluted them with a smiling countenance, she 

Salutare — viso lieto, 

made known to them their engagement. 
fe manifesta — * disposizione. 

25. The Virtues having departed from below (this eartli) y 

— — dipartirsi di quaggiu 

have left wretched mortals in the dregs of the vices. 

— abbandonati — vivente — — feccia — vizio. 



186 EXERCISES. 

26. A great part of the night being already past, all 

Buonapezza — notte — gia passare, — - 
went to rest. 
— a riposarsi. 



EXERCISE XX. 

ON THE MOODS. 

1. He trembled like a leaf, and knew not where he was. 

Tremare — verga y — [447] dove * 

2. i" think that it is necessary to write to him all that 

Giudicare — * — — — — quelche 

passes. 

3. Weep not, my child, and be quiet. 
[387] — — — sta zittino. 

4. I have sent to him to say, by my servant, that he 

— rnandare — * — la serva, — 
should come and+ speak to me about a business of importance. 
— — — per cosa cheimporta. 

2 

5. / have just received a letter that / expected six months 

— aspettare^ — — 

1 
ago. 
da, 

6. Listen to me — / am going to tell you frankly what / 
Udire — [451] * franco — 

think of you. 

7. / think that thou art in love. 

[491] — — * innamorato. 

f When and between two verbs means in order to, it is translated 
by a 3 and the second verb is always in the infinitive. 



MOODS. 187 

8. God grant that this be so. 

— volere — 

9. / do not wish that this may frighten you (this to 

— — — — spaventare — 
frighten you). 

10. I think that the best way to recruit yourself is to 

— — — migliormodo — riavere — — * 
live in the country. 
villa. 

11. /do not know where he is going. 

— dove * 

12. Do not make a show of being astonished, and lose no 

— [387] vista — maravigliarsi, — * — 
words in denying this act. 
le — — negare il fatto. 

13. If there is any thing in this life which calms the mind, 
amid the troubles and storms of this world, / think that 
it is study. 



14. It appears to me that those who remove friendship 
parere — — — — . tbgliere — 

2 1 

from this life, remove the sun from the world. 



15. When she saw that he was gone, she began to think 

Come vide — — — — — — 

what she ought to do. 
* 

16. After that, having conducted the noblemen to the 
Appresso — menare — — in — 

garden, she asked them politely who they were. 
— — * cortese — fossero. 

M 



188 EXERCISES. 

17. It appears to me that they have good reason. 

— — — * molta ragione. 

2 i 

18. She avoids me as if I were some strange thing. 

fuggire * qualche strano — 

19. Attend well to what / am going to tell you. 
A tten dere bene — — [45 1 ] . 

,20. Fear not that you will ever be blamed for this. 
Dubitar — — di questo ti seguire mai biasimo. 

21. / do not know what wrong it would be to do it. 

— sapere che mal si * — fare — 

22. We should be very contented that you went to pass 

— ci contenteremmo motto — — andare a stare 
some time in Paris. 
alquanto a — 

23. I desired very much for many days to know who 
— desiderare sommo piu giorno — saper chi 

he was. 



24. I pray (you) that you may not be so foolish as 
— pregare — — voi non state — sciocco che 

to wish to expose yourself to so great danger. 
vogliate voi sottopporre — si grave pericolo. 

25. Not to lose time, / wish to go and begin. 

f 338] perder tempo, volere andare cominciare. 



189 



THE INTERJECTIONS. 



I 



Ah! ah! 

Ahi / oh ! V expression of pain, misfortune, or horror. 

Ahime ! alas ! J 

Deh ! ah ! entreatingly. 

Eh ! eh ! complaint or inquiry. 

Oh I or Oh, oh ! of surprise and astonishment. 

Oil or Ohi! oh! of pain and suffering. 

Oibb ! fie ! contempt or disapproval. 

Dime ! ohime ! alas ! of one in pain, &c. 

Buono ! good ! in approval. 

Bravo ! brava ! approval. The Italians employ the word 
as an adjective, and say of a man, bravo, bravissimo ; of a 
woman brava, bravissima. The English use bravo indis- 
criminately. 

Guai ! wo is me ! 

Old ! holla ! hark ye ! 

Su ! up ! get up ! 

Orsu ! come ! 

Via ! begone ! 

Animo ! cheer up ! 

Zitto ! hist ! silence ! used as an adjective. 



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